Mysterious ways
by you-make-me-wander
Summary: Things have been quiet in Beacon Hills for a few weeks now. The pack decides to take some time off from all things supernatural in hopes to get a certain duo back together, only things don't go exactly according to plan... Post Season 4
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Hi, everyone. This is my first time writing a fanfic, so I went for some Stydia, of course. It will be a multi-chapter fic because I just can't seem to stop writing it. I've had this idea for a while now, so I thought I should give it a try. English is not my first language, so if you guys find anything that needs to be corrected, please let me know. Also, please hit the comments and leave me your opinions or ideas. Feedback is much appreciated :)**

**Chapter 1**

Scott has been aware of the banshee's feelings towards his best friend for a while now. Of course he knew something was up between Stiles and Lydia before, but none of them would really open up or do something about it, so he figured they were just teasing; god knows they both love that. But he really noticed in one of the many afternoons the pack had been spending at Derek's loft lately, as her heart skipped a few beats when Stiles accidentally bumped into her; she even blushed, only Stiles didn't see it because his phone dropped to the ground and he was hurriedly trying to pick it up, and then Malia came into the room and led Stiles to the couch with her. If Scott remembers correctly, Stiles didn't even apologize to Lydia or helped her pick up the books she'd been carrying and that were now on the floor, where they had fallen along with his phone.

Lydia, who froze on the spot, was trying to find somewhere to look at but to the boy she started to have feelings for long ago, obviously failing at the attempt. He was curled up on the couch with Malia sitting on his lap, whispering in his ear God knows what. It made Lydia sick to her stomach, but she always tried her best to keep her emotions hidden. But Scott noticed. He could see the turmoil in her eyes, though she wouldn't show it in her features. In a second he was next to Lydia helping her pick up her things and offering to walk her home. She didn't hesitate to accept.

Since the whole Deadpool thing three weeks ago, life in Beacon Hills had been relatively calm. Still, Derek offered the loft for the pack to hang out since they are stronger in numbers, and since then everyone would occasionally stop by and do their own thing. Some would read while others would train. Sometimes, they would all play some games or watch a movie and have some fun. Even the Sheriff or Melissa would make an appearance to make sure everything was okay. On that afternoon, Lydia had been reading and translating the bestiary with Scott and Derek's help, while the others were in another room having some stupid argument about what they should have for dinner, with Derek screaming at them because they argued every single time. It was when Stiles came to tell Scott and Lydia what the others agreed on that he bumped into her.

She was already suffocating from all the PDA Stiles and the werecoyote insisted on shoving down everyone's throats, so when Scott offered to walk her home she gladly accepted. She was not even sure Stiles saw them leave.

They had been walking in the sidewalk in utter silence for half an hour when she broke into tears, seeking comfort in Scott's arms. He didn't say a word until she eventually calmed down, trying to steady her breathing.

"I'm so sorry, Scott. I didn't mean to…" she said, her voice trembling.

"It's okay. I know." He nodded reassuringly.

She paused for a moment, letting the realization kick in. "You really do, don't you?" She blushed again, looking down at her hands nervously.

Scott placed a hand on her chin lifting her head up, and nodded again. "I won't tell anything, I swear. But you know I could hear your heartbeat, right?"

"I figured as much," she admitted, embarrassed. And just like that all the blood drained from her face and she looked like she'd seen a ghost. "What if someone else did too? Oh god…"

Scott quickly pulled her for another embrace, not sure what else to do to ease her pain. "I don't think they did," he whispered in her ear. "Someone would have said something and they were all being so loud..." He hopes no one else heard it, or that would make for one weird argument between the banshee and the werecoyote. "I guess you'll just need to figure out what you want to do about it."

She took a step back, looking confused. "What do you mean?"

Scott took a moment. "Lydia, he's been in love with you since the _third freaking grade_. He worships the ground you walk on and would gladly lay down at your feet just so you could step on him. I'm even positive he'll have a heart attack as soon as he finds out you actually have feelings for him, like _for real_. Hell, I've been waiting for this for as long as he has." Scott was speaking a little louder now, as if the words were to make more sense if they were emphasized.

"Scott, I…" she interjects.

He interrupts her, lifting a finger. "Let me finish. I get that things are not ideal right now and that a lot has been happening and everyone is emotionally exhausted, but you need to figure it out. Sure, everything is different and it's hard, but he has the right to know, Lydia." He sighs. "You can't take that away from him."

Somewhere in the middle of his speech, tears began rolling down her cheeks. She looked appalled, like Scott had blurted out some forbidden truth. Feeling numb, she slowly sat on her ankles, her knees falling to grasp the rough asphalt. Of course she knew he was right, but he was not seeing the whole picture.

"I have it figured out," she whispered.

Scott sat beside her, his arm around her shoulders. Her hands rested on her chest, fists clenched like somehow it helped her breathe. Her mouth was dry and she felt like her head would explode.

"It's not like it's new. I guess I've known for a while now." She was barely audible. Without his super hearing, Scott wouldn't probably be able to hear her. "It's in the little things, you know? The way he'd always be there to protect me or to give me everything without expecting anything in return. He saw me, the real me, way before I did." She paused briefly, shaking her head slightly as to put her ideas in order. "But the girl he was in love with and had on a pedestal, it's not me, Scott. He just got to know the real me, and next thing you know there's a pack of alphas running around, and he gets possessed, and people died and now the stupid Deadpool…" She stopped, trying to catch her breath again, her hands attempting to wipe away the tears. "Things are not black and white anymore. It's not that simple." She pauses. "And he's got Malia now."

Scott knew it would eventually come to this, but even if he was happy that his best friend was getting some and that Malia seemed to be getting along with the pack, their relationship bothered him but he never brought it up. Stiles seemed happy and the guy needed a win for a change.

"You know he'll always choose you, tough, right? I don't even think there's another way," he ventured, smiling softly at Lydia.

"But that's just it. Why would I deprive him of his first real relationship," _or whatever it is_, she thought to herself, "when he waited all those years for someone I'm not anymore? The Lydia Martin he grew up to idolize doesn't even exist. She was just a shallow, stupid little girl who eventually turned into whatever the hell I can call myself now, which is all his doing by the way, and I'm grateful for it. I'll never be able to thank him enough for that." She took a deep breath. "I miss him so much, Scott."

She hid her face on her hands, like she wasn't supposed to be saying such things out loud. "I don't even spend time with him anymore. The last time we were alone was with Brunski, and we all know how well that turned out." She was mumbling, something Scott would normally point out it's something Stiles would do. She went on. "It's not fair to him. As much as it hurts me to say, he seems happy away from me and with Malia. And I can't interfere with that. It's not right to want him just when he's unavailable. I don't… It's not fair to either of us."

And Scott gets it. He knows she has a point. Of course she does. She's Lydia Martin. But she's still lacking some perspective. "You shouldn't diminish yourself, are you kidding me? The Lydia Martin standing right in front of me is a strong, independent, incredibly smart and beautiful young woman, even as you are crying and kneeling on the side of the road and pouring your heart out to one of your best friends about being in love with Stiles Stilinski, for crying out loud."

Lydia laughed. She couldn't help it. Scott with those puppy brown eyes could get everyone to smile. Recomposing herself, she stood up and whipped away what remained of her tears. She extended her hand to Scott, helping him to get up. Scott noticed her knees were bleeding a little.

"She would be proud of you, you know?" She said shyly, and Scott knew she was talking about Allison. "She would be proud of us. Three years ago I wouldn't even acknowledge your existence, let alone imagine Scott McCall and Stiles Stilinski as close friends of mine, and look at us now. You're one of my best friends and you're listening to me rambling about my crush on our other best friend. I don't even know if I can call him that anymore." She's whispering again, but quickly recomposes. "If she was here right now, she'd be climbing walls and saying _I told you so_ to my face, I'm sure." She smiles.

"She was trying to set you two up from the very beginning." Scott smiles too, knowing Allison would be in the clouds right now. "Kira has her suspicions too, about you and Stiles. She asked me the other day."

"She's good for you!" Lydia's smile widens. "Something good had to come out from our lives eventually. And I like Kira…" Lydia tries to justify why she doesn't spend too much time with the girl; god knows she could use a girlfriend. "Maybe I'll tell her all about it."

"You should give her a try. She hasn't even been with us for that long and she's already thinking of starting a poll for when you two will get together. But I have to warn you. She mumbles a lot, kind of like Stiles when they don't know what to say and are socially awkward, and even though it's the cutest, it takes a while to get used to." He throws her a big smile. "You'll love her."

Lydia smiled in return. "I'm sure she'll be all over you, trying to find out why you snatched me out of the loft so quickly, so you might as well tell her. Maybe me and Kira could have some girl time tomorrow, if she wants to. I'd like that."

"Definitely. I'll tell her to text you." Scott starts walking again, taking Lydia by the arm with him, both smiling now, the banshee much calmer. "Do your knees hurt? You're bleeding."

"Oh," she said, looking down. "Not so much, it's fine." She wraps her arm around his tighter. "Thank you, Scott, for being here."

"Don't mention it."

As soon as he returns to the loft, Scott leaves with Kira. Later, he tells her everything. They come up with a plan.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Hey, guys. So here's chapter two. I'll try and make each chapter from different POVs, I think I like it better that way. Again, if my grammar is not the best, please let me know. Also, please hit the comments and leave me your opinions or ideas. Feedback is much appreciated :) I'm you-make-me-wander on tumblr, if you wanna check me out!**

**Chapter 2**

Kira was thrilled. Scott spent the night telling her everything she would need to know about Stiles and Lydia, as Kira wasn't a part of the pack from the beginning. Sure, she picked up a lot of things on the last few months, but she didn't know about how Stiles would carefully arrange his schedule so that he could cross her path at least twice everyday back when he had that crazy crush on Lydia, or how they went to the winter formal together. He even told Kira about his 10 – _stretch to 15_ - year plan. Kira was delighted. Still, she would probably regret it later. It's not normal to have a smile on one's face for so long and her cheeks will hurt, Scott's sure of it.

But he couldn't help but smile too. He hasn't seen Kira excited like this in a while, and to actually be able to do something about Stydia – that's how Kira now insisted on addressing the matter – left this soothing atmosphere in the air, like it was something meant to be. It felt right.

After breakfast, while he answered a call on his phone, Kira was focused on a calendar, trying to figure something out.

Scott ended the call. "Derek will be coming over in a minute. Says he wants to talk."

"What about?" Kira asked, still absent-minded.

"He didn't say, but he is already on his way." Scott looked over her shoulder to a blank paper sheet all scribbled out in different colors. He couldn't make sense of a single thing. "How are we?"

"Oh, the plan will _so_ be over before the ten-year mark." She smiled wider, glancing at Scott. "This is gonna be perfect."

"Don't get your hopes up. He's still with Malia, remember?"

"Yeah, I know." She frowns. "And I like Malia… I mean, not _like_ like, but I guess she's okay." _She's so cute when she mumbles_, Scott thinks. She keeps at it. "Does it make me a bad person to want my friend's boyfriend to date my other friend? I guess I don't want Malia to get hurt, but by not hurting her, Stiles and Lydia are hurting and it's different with the two of them, isn't it?" She pauses. "It's like they're two sides of the same coin or something. Did you notice there are lots of things they mirror from the other? It's so cute. They don't even know they're doing it."

"Trust me, I know." He smiles. Scott is the only one who knows how much Stiles had drooled over Lydia over the years, and it was not one-sided, not as of late when they started their little banter. Before Malia, that is. "There were times when they kept doing this thing with their lips, like they were pouting. I'm pretty sure deep inside they were just hoping they would put them to better use, you know? But god forbid one of them would make a move." He laughs.

Kira snorts. "Oh my god. I'm fangirling over here." They both laugh, Kira raising her hands motioning for a pause. "We should stop. We still have so much to plan."

A knock on the door reveals a slightly entertained Melissa, a small smile hiding in her eyes, like she wants to ask permission for something she's not supposed to do. "Scott, honey…"

He knows what it means and interrupts her right there, not wanting to prolong the embarrassment for the both of them. "It's fine, mom. Just text me if you're getting home late. We are gonna head out after lunch, anyways." He manages to smile, not wanting to sound too harsh.

She looks like a teenager, all giggles. "Thanks honey. I will," she promises. Turning around to leave, she suddenly remembers why she went to Scott's room in the first place. "Oh, Derek's downstairs. He said you're expecting him…" She makes it sound like a question.

"Yes. Derek, you can come up." He knows Derek can hear him.

"I'll leave you guys to it then. I'll see you later." Melissa is gone as soon as Derek appears, Kira expectantly looking at Scott waiting just long enough to hear the front door close to blurt out "What was that about?"

Scott blushes and Derek smiles. _Wow, that's weird_, Kira thought. It's Derek who speaks first. "She's going out with him, isn't she?"

"Yeah," Scott scratches the back of his neck. He turns to Kira. "It's the Sheriff. She kind of made him dinner the other night and then he invited her for a few drinks and I guess that's the beginning of _that_…"

Scott is not sure it's possible, but Kira's smile is even brighter now, just like Derek's. "Oh my god, oh my god", she shouts, jumping like a little girl.

"I guess everyone saw it coming, though." Scott is now smiling at her amusement. "I'm happy for them, that's what matters."

"And it's not weird? For you and Stiles, I mean… Of course it's weird. But are you guys okay with it?"

Scott laughs. Kira sounds so much like Stiles sometimes. "We are. It's not like we talk much about it, but we're already brothers anyway." Scott notices Derek went to sit on his bed. "Oh, sorry dude. You wanted to talk, right?"

Kira gets up from her chair in an instant. "I'll be downstairs if you need me." Scott nods, assuming it's some pack business Derek wants to talk about, but Derek quickly asks her to stay.

"It was something I kind of wanted to discuss with Scott alone, but if he hasn't told you yet, and he probably has, it still might be good to have a girl's perspective on this."

"Oh. Ok." Kira sits again, now extremely curious. Scott stands beside her. "What is it then?"

Derek struggles trying to find the right words. It's not like he is that much used to talk about someone's feelings, neither his nor someone else's. "Yesterday, when you and Lydia were alone before you left, something happened, right? Her heart faltered."

Scott and Kira exchange looks, knowing exactly what he's talking about. "You heard it?"

"Yes. It was Stiles, wasn't it?" Scott just nods.

"You ship them too!" Kira exclaims, far too excited about the whole situation.

"I what?" Derek looks lost.

Scott can't help but to laugh at him and Kira follows suit. "Are you worried about them? I didn't think you had it in you, dude," Scott says, smiling. This is turning out to be the weirdest week.

"It's Braeden, isn't it? She's making you a softie," Kira says, abruptly shutting her mouth. She doesn't know Derek well enough; she shouldn't have said it like that, but she's been trying to fit in the pack better, putting her social awkwardness aside. T_rying_.

Derek laughs. "Yes, my girlfriend is making me a slightly better person, but I'm not insensitive, geez. We are pack. We are supposed to worry about each other."

"Sorry," Kira mumbles, already blushing when she turns her gaze to the ground.

"It's fine, Kira." Derek looks carefree, amused even. Scott doesn't remember a time when Derek would refer to someone as his girlfriend. Usually the others assumed it for him. "And everyone in this damn town knows about Stiles and Lydia, so what are we talking about here? Because he's still dating my cousin…"

"We know," Scott replies. "But he's not in love with her. Sure, he cares, but you know it's not like that, not really. We don't want to break them up or anything. We just don't want them to get hurt. Not Stiles, not Malia, not Lydia."

"What are you saying then?"

"Kira's the one with the planning thingy." Scott points to the sheet on his desk, then motions to Kira. "Maybe she should tell you."

Kira blushes immediately now that the focus is on her. "Hm, ok. We were just kind of planning to get Stiles and Lydia to spend more time together, with the pack, not by themselves, and things would just go from there. But then we thought that Malia, even not being as good as Scott or you, has been improving her sense of smell as a part of her training. So whenever Stiles and Lydia are around each other, she should be able to smell their emotions, right? But then Scott told me Stiles has been reeking less when he's around Lydia, but they haven't been talking lately, so that might be it. And Lydia is more acquainted with her powers now, so she's able to disguise her scent."

Scott continues. "And she's getting good at it too. If I wasn't there to see Stiles ignore her and hadn't heard her heart skip a beat, I probably wouldn't have caught it. But her eyes tell a different story. She can't hide her emotions in her eyes. That's why she always leaves early, when she figures she can't hide it anymore for the day." Scott adds. "But Malia should be able to pick these things up by now. And she knows there's history there. I am actually impressed she didn't try to kill Lydia yet." He scratches his neck again, remembering he's talking to Derek, Malia's cousin. "So we were just wondering why Malia hasn't done something about it. She's probably the most direct of us all, you know. She could end it in a second."

There's a moment of silence. Derek's the first to break it. "That's the other reason I came to talk to you. I think something's up."

Scott frowns. "No no no. That can't be. Everything's been good lately. Please don't tell me it's bad news."

Kira places her hand on Scott's shoulder, grounding him. She turns to Derek. "What is it?"

"Malia's been disappearing for a couple of hours at a time. And it's becoming a regular thing. I don't know what she's been doing while she's out, but I think it might have something to do with her mother."

"How?" Scott asks. Scott may be the Alpha, but Derek's the one who's always keeping tabs on everyone.

"Stiles came by the loft the other day, kind of breathless. Told me he had been looking for her for five straight hours and that it was not the first time. She keeps telling him she's just gonna run through the woods, but Stiles knows better. So he came to see if she was there, and I told him no, and he just went home. He texted one hour later saying she came back and all was good."

"Why wouldn't he tell me any of this?" Scott blurts out.

"He doesn't want to trouble you. As you said, it's been better lately. He probably just doesn't want things to get out of control."

"So what do you think?"

Derek is blunt. "I think we should go check on Peter, make sure things are as they're supposed to be and he's still locked up, you know. I don't have a good feeling about this. And somehow it's always Peter, so…"

Kira interrupts Derek. "Why don't you guys go? Lydia can pick me up. We already planned to spend the afternoon together anyways."

He stands up. "You guys meet me at the loft in twenty. I'm supposed to meet Lydia there to give her some more books." He points to Kira. "Then you'll leave with Lydia and I'll go with Scott. No one else needs to know where we're going until we figure it out."

"Sounds like a plan," Scott mutters. Derek's out the door in no time. Scott grabs his jacket and turns to Kira. "Ask Lydia if she wants to go out for lunch. The sooner we figure out what Malia's doing the better, so _our plans_" he motions his hand between the both of them "are on hold." He kisses her lips softly. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." They head towards Scott's bike in a hurry, suddenly the urge of things not going their way weighing on them. "Maybe it's nothing."

They hop up, leaving for Derek's loft.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary: Okay, so here's chapter 3. Some new characters are coming into play and will make more appearances in future chapters. Lydia makes a new friend and might be losing another. There's some angst. Scott and Derek become more worried.**

**Chapter 3**

The last few weeks proved to strengthen the pack. The younger ones were welcomed with open arms as they figured how to blend in with the rest of the pack. Along with Liam and Mason came Brett and Grace, both werewolves. Brett because he believed Scott would be a good Alpha to follow (and a little bit because of Mason, not that he would admit it), Grace because of Brett. She had known him for years and he's like her big brother, so she follows him.

Grace is so cute Lydia wants to die. She's blonde, her wavy hair just a little shorter than Lydia's, and small, but very spry. She's fierce, so of course Lydia likes her. On the other hand, she's very, _very_, naive, something Lydia can't say she was at her age, and she has no family but Brett. That's why Lydia sort of takes her under her wing, looking out for her.

Mason is a good kid. Lydia likes him. It's not like he had much time to wrap his mind around all things supernatural when he went to check on her a few weeks ago and ended up fighting a berserker, but still he stood beside her. And he's smart and a very good influence on Liam, who is a little cocky for her taste. Much like Jackson, she knows. Still with a far better character, that's for sure.

Despite the age gap between both generations of the pack, they all fit together. They all have something to teach and something to learn, and that's why they are all spending so much time at the loft. Not only Derek has a lot of books and maps to help them research, it is still the larger place for everyone to hang out.

Lydia arrives there right on time. Derek's car is not parked outside, so he must be running late. She lets herself in, just like the rest of the pack always does; his door is always open. When she enters, she finds Mason and Stiles sprawled on the couch playing video games. _Perfect_, she thinks in disdain.

She smiles and explains she's just waiting for Derek, who should be home soon. Mason smiles back and Stiles waves at her. She's already feeling uneasy, so she excuses herself to go to the bathroom.

While in the bathroom, Lydia checks herself in the mirror. Even after her breakdown last night, she managed to pull herself together in the morning. She's Lydia Martin, she can't afford to look bad. She opted for a simple black skirt and white top, a red cardigan and black heels. Her hair is half up, half down, her curls falling to her right. Her makeup has been getting smoother through the years, revealing her natural beauty. She's just wearing a mild shade of red lipstick and mascara to highlight her eyes. She knows it's how Stiles likes her better, not that he notices anymore. Lydia's grown to like herself more like that too. _He's not yours, he's not yours_, she mumbles in her head.

Supporting herself with both hands on the sink, she closes her eyes and zones out for a bit. It has become her mantra lately, to constantly remind herself that she can't have someone who's already taken. Even if he wasn't, how could she be so selfish as to have him when he had years ahead of her of pinning over someone who didn't even know he existed? She focuses on her breathing, relaxing as soon as she hears someone screaming at the boys because his living room is a mess. _Thank God, Derek's here_. She opens her eyes, checks herself on the mirror one more time and leaves the bathroom.

"You're late," she says to Derek, a small smile on her lips.

"I'm sorry. Traffic. Scott and Kira will be here in a few minutes. I'll need Scott, so maybe you and Kira could have lunch together?"

On the couch, Stiles pauses the game. "What are you and Scott up to? I really don't feel like leaving this couch, let alone the house."

Derek purses his lips, retorting "I don't remember inviting you to come along." Mason takes this as his cue, going to the kitchen to get some popcorn. He's been around long enough to know they are about to argue.

"Scott goes, I go. We're kind of a package deal."

"You're not coming." Derek then turns to Lydia, smiling apologetically. "Sorry. Come on." He places a hand on her back, leading her to the stairs but Stiles is not finished.

"You need to tell me where you guys are going and what it is that you're going to do." He's almost crawling on the couch now, unable to stay still. "Wait, am I not supposed to know what you and Scott are up to?" Derek senses Lydia's anxiety, so he gestures for her to go upstairs but she stops, waiting for him, and he turns around to face Stiles with a deadly gaze. Stiles freezes instantly.

"Do you ever shut up? God, I don't know how Malia puts up with you."

"Next time you can ask her. I'm sure she'll love to hear, _yet again_, about how her cousin dislikes her boyfriend and how you still don't trust me. It's getting ridiculous."

Lydia flinches at the word _boyfriend_, but Derek keeps looking at Stiles. "Well, you keep doing that, you're just helping my case. And if you must know, it's Braeden related. I don't have to share my love life with the world, let alone you." Derek turns around again, frowning. Stiles can easily get on everyone's nerves. "Let's go before he opens his mouth again or I might have to punch him," he mumbles to Lydia.

"I heard that."

Now Lydia's pissed. "Shut the fuck up, Stiles."

She's not sure which of them is more shocked. Stiles looks at her like he doesn't understand what just happened, Derek kinda wants to laugh, surprised, and Lydia has the urge to cover her mouth with her hands, but she doesn't. Mason is near the kitchen door, a bowl of popcorn in his arms, feeling like he's watching a movie. "God, you never shut up," she shoots at him. It's not right of her to be mad at him, but she is. She can't help it.

And Derek can smell her now, her angst starting to show in her muscles as she clenches her fists. "Lydia, come on. Let's go upstairs."

Stiles stays put. She climbs the first three steps but has to stop. Her knees are still hurting from yesterday. She looks down to make sure she's not bleeding, supporting herself on Derek's shoulder. He looks down too.

"Your knees… From yesterday?" He asks.

She swallows and nods. "I fell and scraped them. It's embarrassing, really." She gives him a small smile. _So Derek knows too_, she thinks. Somehow she's comfortable with that.

"Well, are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's fine. But I don't know if I can make it all the way up." She's afraid the small wounds will reopen and take more time to heal.

From the couch, Stiles snaps out of his trance. "Lydia, are you hurt?" _Poor choice of words_, she thinks. He gets up and starts walking towards them, but she directs him a gaze even deadlier than Derek's. He stops, blushing hard. His words are more of a whisper. "I was just gonna see if you're okay." _Very, very poor choice of words_. She doesn't answer.

Instead, Derek helps her down the stairs. "I'll be back in a second", he says glancing over at Stiles, and disappears to the upper floor. Lydia goes stand by the window, focusing her eyes nowhere specific. She can feel the tension arise, but she can't cry. _You will not cry, Lydia_.

Stiles doesn't dare make a move on her, so he returns to the couch, stealing Mason's popcorn and stuffing his mouth with a hand full, mumbling something unintelligible and resuming the game.

Derek comes down not two minutes later carrying a few books that he hands to Lydia. He looks at the front door. "Scott's here."

Sure enough, a few seconds later, Scott and Kira appear, with Scott making a face. "What the hell happened here? There's so much tension in the air…" He looks at Derek, then at Stiles, who refuses to return his gaze. It's Lydia who answers.

"Derek can fill you in later. Kira, lunch?"

"S-Sure," Kira stutters, taken by surprise by Lydia's immediate need to leave. "I'll text you later," she says to Scott, kissing him.

Lydia turns to Derek. "Thank you."

Looking her in the eyes, he gently squeezes her shoulder, smiling. "I'm here if you need anything. Just know I don't offer often."

She smirks. "I might call you later, then." On her tip toes, she plants a kiss on his cheek, not minding everyone looking at her. Looks like she just found a new friend and she could use a few. Wrapping her arm around Kira's, they leave the loft. She still manages to hear Scott yell at someone "Dude, what the hell did you do?"

xxxxxxxxxx

As they head to Eichen House, sitting in silence in Derek's car, he tells Scott what happened. How he knows Lydia is aware he knows about her feelings and hasn't made a scene about it, and how she snapped at Stiles (not that he can argue with her there) and how Stiles didn't react much when it happened. They don't know what to make of it. Something's different about Stiles behavior lately.

"He obviously still cares about her. You should have seen his face when she told him to _shut the fuck up_. It's like he had just woken up from a dream only to learn his life's a nightmare or something. And he blushed, like a lot. I actually thought he was gonna cry." Derek says, a little amused. "But he didn't fight back, and that's not like Stiles."

"Yeah, I guess. And Lydia?"

"I think yesterday took a toll on her, talking about her feelings and all. She wasn't as put together today as she typically is. That's probably why she lost it." Derek is still awestruck with the banshee. She changed so much through the years and having her trust him took him by surprise. How times have changed.

Scott is afraid to admit that things have been off lately. "We haven't been together much this last few weeks, me and Stiles. He's always with Malia and won't call me as much. I figured it was because there's no big bad guy and he was trying to enjoy his time with his girlfriend. I mean, it's Stiles. The guy doesn't get laid much, you know?"

Derek shifts uncomfortably on his seat. "Need to know, Scott. Need to now."

Scott laughs. "Sorry, dude. But that's where I'm getting at. He always shares too much, so why be so quiet now? It's not like him. Something's definitely wrong." He feels like he's losing his brother. Not Nogitsune-like, but more like a bridge between them that insists on keeping them farther apart. He knows that both of them having a girlfriend at the same time would have its impact on their relationship; he just wasn't expecting it to be like this. It can't just be it though. There's got to be something else.

As they approach the mental institution, Derek only mutters "We'll figure it out."

**Author's note: I hope you're still with me. Chapter 4 will probably be about the girls and not end so well. Please review and tell me what you think of the fic so far. As always feedback is much appreciated :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary: Chapter 4 is here! It was supposed to be just about the girls, but I kinda wanted to share a little of Stiles' perspective, so here you go. **

**Chapter 4**

He left right after Scott and Derek. As soon as he gets home, Stiles runs to the bathroom and locks the door behind him. Lowering himself to the ground and sitting with his back against the wall, he hides his face in his hands and starts crying. He sobs silently, trying not to panic.

Back at the loft, he couldn't tell Scott what happened because he was not sure himself. He hadn't been much more of an annoying brat than he usually is and he'd had worst arguments with Derek. He wasn't even addressing Lydia, so her cries were a little out of line, even for her. He just wanted to make sure she was okay but as Derek was helping her, Stiles wouldn't dare move or breathe.

He remembers once telling Scott that the guys are the ones who apologize, that it's what they do. That anytime a guy thinks he hasn't done anything wrong, it means he's definitely done something wrong. And the thing is it was his fault. _You fucked up big time, Stiles_. As she loudly told him to shut up back at the loft, it's like all the air was ripped from his lungs and he couldn't see straight. He wanted to cry, _god_ he wanted to scream. But he couldn't. And he hurt her. He never meant to hurt her. _Not Lydia_. Tears keep flowing.

He couldn't tell Scott about it, and when he couldn't talk to Scott about something he would turn to Lydia, but that wasn't going to happen. He's been keeping quiet for a few weeks now, spending less time with them and more with Malia, testing the waters. It's stupid, he knows, but he couldn't think of anything else. Scott would just tell him how bad an idea it was and Lydia would probably shoot him a glare and make a snarky comment, only to right after sit beside him and help him figure it out. But he couldn't put her in danger, certainly not because of him and his big mouth. If it weren't for this, Lydia would probably be laying on her stomach on his bed right now reading, and he'd be sitting on the floor next to the bed and next to her as they have done so many times when they are researching for the pack. He shakes his head slightly. The pain doesn't go away.

He's protecting the pack really, but they probably won't believe him when they find out. Not for a while. He doesn't think of it a _sacrifice_ on his part, but more like a _compromise_. He will endure the situation for as long as it takes, as long as the others stay safe. He couldn't be more okay with that. They are more than pack, _they're family_. And to Stiles it's worth it.

But in the end he's just human, and his emotions get the best out of him. He cries his heart out, not moving for a long time. He's oblivious to his surroundings until he hears a knock on the bathroom door.

"Stiles, are you in there?"

_Shit_. "Go home, Malia." He checks the time on his phone. He's been in there for over an hour.

"Are you crying?" He could swear he heard her growl.

Glancing at the mirror, he can't recognize himself. His eyes are red and his cheeks wet from all the crying, his t-shirt is a mess. He's still out of breath but he doesn't care. He unlocks the door to face the werecoyote.

"Yes. What is it to you?" His words are harsher than he intends. _Fuck it_. He walks past her, heading downstairs to the kitchen.

"Stiles, what's wrong? What happened?" She looks worried as she follows him, not sure what to make of the different emotions she can smell on him. "Is this about _her_?"

He leans against the counter as he drinks a glass of water. _This is so messed up,_ he thinks, rubbing his forehead. "Malia, I _really_ don't feel like talking right now, so…"

She points a finger. "You reek, like a lot, and it's kind of overwhelming, so you need to tell me what's going on."

He knows it's just her way of saying things, always so abruptly, and he doesn't blame her, but he's not in the mood to put up with that shit right now. "_I_ don't have to tell you anything, just like _you_ don't tell me where the hell you're going all the time."

She takes a step back, crossing her arms in front of her. "I already told you I'm going for runs in the woods. It's what I like to do."

"Oh, and browsing for real estate and flights for Europe, is that how you have fun, too? And what about how-to guides on breaking in?"

Her mouth falls open, perplexed. "How do you know that?"

"You never delete the browsing history," he mumbles.

"It's not like I had internet in the woods. You can't blame me for being curious, Stiles."

Her tone is accusatory and his guilt only builds up. He knows it's all his fault but he's doing it because of _her_. Angry, he can feel his muscles clenching, his breath more uneven. He stands straight. "You need to go, Malia."

She sees a spark in his eyes and if she were in the wild, she'd say he looks like he's about to attack. She knows better than to defy unfamiliar danger. "I'll go, but we need to talk about this. And there's something I have to tell you." She takes a few more steps back, nervous. "I'll be back."

"Don't." He means it and makes sure he doesn't look away. In shock, she stops for a brief moment, then turns and runs out the door without another word. His trembling hands cover his face. Angry at himself, he hopes today is just a bad dream. Everything is falling apart_. I can't fall apart_.

He needs to talk to someone. He needs to talk to Lydia. He reaches for his phone.

xxxxxxxxxx

Their ride to Lydia's house was quiet. Kira figured waiting for the strawberry blonde not to be driving to have a meltdown was probably for the best. When they got there, Lydia went to the bathroom while Kira ordered lunch. They didn't talk much until the pizza was delivered 40 minutes later. Back in her room, they both sat on the bed, each of them taking a slice.

Lydia was now wearing a t-shirt and some sweatpants, her hair up in a messy bun, her face make-up free. She was nervous, unsure of what to do. "I'm really sorry about that. I didn't mean to drag you out of there so quickly."

"Oh, it's okay." Kira was nervous too. "You don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to."

Lydia takes a bite of her slice of pizza. "I kinda want to," she admits, "if that's okay with you."

"Are you kidding me?" Kira looks overly excited. "Lay it on me, sister."

Lydia can't help but laugh. "You look a lot like Scott when I first went to him, after Allison… He was so happy I was finally accepting the pack. He has been a good friend." She manages a small smile. "So, did Scott tell you everything?"

Kira's not sure, but she thinks Lydia looks embarrassed, maybe even blushing a little. "I guess so. I was so happy to hear about it." And just like this morning, Kira is all smiles. "I mean, not happy that you're not together. Happy that you two are into each other, even though he's with Malia…" She immediately covers her mouth with her hand, her eyes asking for forgiveness.

Lydia smirks. "You can say her name, Kira." She grabs two more slices of pizza, handing one to the kitsune.

She takes it. "Thanks. And sorry. I talk, like, a lot."

"It's okay. I think it's cute."

"Of course you do," says Kira, her eyes playful.

"Hey, don't be mean now." Lydia tries to sound cheerful, knowing Kira is talking about Stiles, but her smile slips from her lips. She looks at Kira regardless. Her chest hurts and she needs to be able to breathe. "I snapped at him. And I shouldn't have, but it was out before I could stop myself. I saw him hurting, you know, like suddenly there was no air in the room. And then the same happened to me. I couldn't even look at him, afraid I was gonna cry. I'm just glad he didn't say anything back. Things would probably have gone bad very fast."

Kira places her hands on Lydia's arms. "Hey, things will get better, you'll see," she reassures her. "He's crazy about you, everybody knows that. Life just has a sick way of throwing karma at you."

"'Karma's only a bitch if you are', isn't that the saying?"

"You are not a bitch, Lydia."

"Maybe not so much anymore, but I was, for a long time. And it's not like I had to be, but it made me feel powerful. Do you know what it's like to grow up to your parents always arguing, or be a toy to the captain of the Lacrosse team? And have to pretend I was dumb, _god_ that's what I regret the most." She sighs. "It made me feel better. It wasn't until Stiles told me he knew I was smart that I started seeing myself that way."

"At winter formal, right?" Lydia nods. "You were protecting yourself. You are not to blame for that. We all act out, one way or another. Life's tough. We've all been through a lot."

"I guess… I still shouldn't have yelled at him. What am I gonna do now? What will I say to him?"

"You two just need time, you'll see." She smiles, and Lydia can't help but smile too. Kira is contagious.

"So I heard there was a poll going around…"

"_Oh my god_, Scott told you about that?" Kira blushes and gets up from the bed in a second. Trying to hide her embarrassment, she picks up the leftovers and places everything neatly on Lydia's desk. Her back facing Lydia, she murmurs "We were just having fun, really…"

"Please tell me about it. I could use a distraction." She smiles at Kira, her eyes curious. _What the hell have they been up to?_

"O-okay. Hm, Scott says it was actually Allison's idea. She really wanted you guys to get together, so she made a bet with Scott, and then Isaac found out about it and it kind of spread from there. I just picked it up. We all have money on it." She's smiling again as she grabs her phone and pulls up an image. "See? We all agreed on first kiss for the poll because we didn't really know where you two stood, so…"

"We already kissed." She lets it slip, whispering. "Me and Stiles, we've kissed before. Once. In the locker room."

Kira looks confused. "Scott never told me about that."

"I don't think he knows, I never told Allison. And if Stiles had told Scott, he would have told her, and I don't think she knew about it. It was right before the whole sacrifice thing. He was having a panic attack and I read somewhere that holding your breath can stop it, so I kissed him." She smiles, thinking of the memory. The way she cupped his cheeks and looked at his eyes, and his lips, _oh god_ his lips so soft against hers. She runs her fingers through her lips and closes her eyes, taking a second to remember the feeling. She had been aware of the tether pulling them closer. "Do you know what he said? That it was smart. And I am smart, like really smart, so I obviously knew there were so many other ways I could have stopped his panic attack. But I wasn't so sure of my feelings for him back then, so that was the first excuse I could think of. We never talked about it again. He probably though I did it out of pity or despair. I'm so stupid."

"_You_ are not stupid." Kira checks her phone. "And _I_ don't mean to sound insensitive or anything, but Allison's bet is the one closer to when you say the kiss happened, so she won the bet." Both their smiles are gone. They stay silent for a moment until Kira speaks again, shyly. "Maybe we could all buy her some flowers, visit her… Does it sound weird? It's weird…"

Lydia interrupts her. "I think it's perfect. And maybe we should start a new poll." She smiles.

"Oh, you think? Next kiss, then?" She's already tapping the screen, amused.

"No, no. I was talking about you and Scott. You guys still haven't…."

Obviously flushed, she doesn't look at Lydia right away, pretending to be distracted, when her battery dies. _Great timing_. "My phone's dead."

"We have mine, it's fine. So, you and Scott?"

"I don't know. We're okay."

"What's okay?"

"I don't know. We're dating. We are definitely dating. But every time we try to be alone together, something always happens. It's like a cosmic sign of 'you shouldn't do it', so we pretty much just make out and go on dates…"

"He really likes you. Maybe you guys just need to plan things better. Leave Derek in charge of the pack and go away for the weekend or something. We'll manage." Scott would never agree to leave the pack but she can imagine him running all the scenarios in his head, torn between being a leader or a lover. She laughs. "I can teach you a thing or two, if you want."

Kira blushes. "Lydia," she gasps.

"What? I meant romantically, not sexually." She laughs again. "You're killing me. And I mean it in the nicest possible way. Thank you." She hugs her and Kira wraps her arms around her too. They stay like that for a while.

"Come on, let's watch a movie."

They head downstairs and sit on the couch. Lydia rests her head on Kira's lap and silently cries herself to sleep.

After two and a half hours, Lydia wakes up to find out that Kira passed out too. She wakes her up, gently stroking her arms.

"Kira, the movie's over."

They get up lazily. "What time is it?"

Lydia looks for her phone, but it's nowhere to be found. She doesn't even remember seeing it in her room. "I think I might have left my phone in the car. I'll be right back."

She grabs her car keys and opens the front door while Kira heads upstairs.

Relieved to find her phone there, she unlocks the screen as she walks back to her house. 17 missed calls and 4 texts from Stiles, 6 missed calls and a text from Scott and 5 missed calls from Derek. She stops, her heart coming to a halt.

She reads Scott's message.

**Scott: Where the hell are you guys? Call me back as soon as you get this. It's urgent**

She runs to the house, already speed dialing Scott. "Kira, something's wrong. Come quick." Lydia stops at the front door. Kira is running down the stairs as Scott picks up at the second ring.

"Are you guys okay?"

"We're fine, Scott. Kira's phone is dead and we fell asleep. What happened?" She puts him on speaker.

"It's Peter." She can feel the tension on his voice. "Pack meeting at the loft in ten minutes."

"We're on our way."

xxxxxxxxxx

Stiles is almost screaming at the speaker. "Why weren't you picking up?"

"Sorry, dude. We were trying to get everyone on the phone. We need you at the loft ASAP."

"Scott, I need to talk to you. Something happened."

"Dude, we know. It's Peter."

"Peter? What are you talking about? It's Malia. She just texted me. She's gone, Scott."

It all goes south from there.

**Author's Note:****I hope you guys are still with me. Please tell me what you think of the fic so far. As always feedback is much appreciated :) I'm you-make-me-wander on tumblr**


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary:** **The pack learns about Peter and Malia. Old characters are mentioned and may feature in future chapters. Stiles and Lydia figure it out (sort of) - I was in need of some Stydia, you can't blame me! :)**

**Chapter 5**

Lydia is too nervous to drive, so Kira's the one behind the wheel. As they head to Derek's place, Lydia checks Stiles' messages.

**Stiles: I'm sorry**

**Stiles: Can I call you? I need to talk to you**

Following are 4 missed calls.

**Stiles: Lydia, please pick up**

Another 7 calls.

**Stiles: Kira's not picking up either. Are you guys okay?**

6 more calls. She can't help but to let a few tears escape.

xxxxxxxxxx

The boys picked up a very anxious and unable-to-drive Stiles. In the car, he blurted out all the things he's been picking up over the last few months, to Scott and Derek's surprise.

Stiles knew Malia wasn't supposed to come back, he told her so. But he figured she would try as she's not used to being told what to do. Still, a text from her had him cringing.

**Malia: I think I can find my mom. Will be out of the country for a while. Don't look for me. I mean it**

And, of course, her text came between his desperate attempts to talk to Lydia and Scott who weren't picking up. And when Scott answered and mentioned Peter, he freaked out a little. Okay, maybe a lot.

They've all been at the loft for over an hour now, all the cards on the table. Scott told everyone how he and Derek went to Eichen House only to learn Peter had escaped the previous night. Stiles told them how he's been suspicious of Malia for a while, playing his part of devoted boyfriend to find out she's been doing a lot of research on escape routes and real estate and flights and self-defense techniques and a lot of other weird stuff. He told them how she would disappear for hours and how he couldn't keep up with her because she was so much faster than him. How she kept telling him she was just going for a run, but was always sneaking out to answer phone calls from unknown numbers. How he didn't think until now it might have something to do with Peter, _but hey, it's always Peter_. How he was taking one for the team and didn't want to worry anyone or somehow get them hurt.

Somewhere in between his sentences, tears started falling and hadn't stopped since. Scott tried telling him it was okay but it didn't seem to matter. After a few apathetic glares and teeth grinding from Derek and some others, all of them agreed Stiles did what he did for everyone. He's the one who always figures it out, after all. Still, Stiles couldn't help but to feel ashamed.

Derek has been on the phone with Argent for the last twenty minutes, Kira and Grace are trying to get Braeden on the phone and the others are spread around the living room. The Sheriff and Parrish left for Eichen House to find out why the Sheriff's Department wasn't informed of Peter's breakout and Melissa had to go back to the hospital.

Scott sits beside Stiles on the couch, trying to calm him down. It's not like he's panicking, but he's not getting better either. He's shivering and looks a little too pale. They've been whispering.

"Stiles, I think you should head home. We got it from here."

"I can't leave, dude. I wanna help. It's all my fault." _It's all my fault_.

"Stop saying that. If it weren't for you, we probably wouldn't even notice that maybe Peter and Malia's escape are probably connected. At least, it would have taken us longer. And it was you looking for her the other day, when you asked Derek about her, that had us suspicious. And Eichen is, you know, freaky and stuff, so if we hadn't gone we probably still wouldn't know about Peter. Your dad was pretty pissed they didn't call it in."

Stiles answers almost in a hum. "After this morning, with Lydia, I kinda broke down, and it was bad Scott." He sobs. "And then Malia came in and I just couldn't take it anymore, so I told her to leave. If I had just been strong enough, just for a little longer, she might have told me about her mother. She said there was something she wanted to tell me, and we probably wouldn't be in this mess right now…" Scott lets his best friend cry on his shoulder, holding him in an embrace. None of them care that they are surrounded, that all those eyes are on them. Scott looks at the window and nods.

xxxxxxxxxx

Lydia was afraid to go to Stiles. Twice she almost thought she had to run to him because he looked like he was having a panic attack, but then Scott would soothe him down just enough. She wanted to hold him and make the pain go away, but she didn't know where they stood after that morning. Yet, when the boys hugged and Scott looked at where she was by the window, his nod was imperative. Stiles needed her, so she went.

Staying behind the couch, she places both her hands on Stiles' shoulders and can feel him relax almost instantly. She doesn't know if it's the tether or her, or both, but he looks up and smiles shyly, broken. She returns the smile the same way. Putting his hands on top of hers, he tries to steady his breathing. His hands gently squeeze hers and don't let go, like he's hanging onto life.

"Argent will try and find out what he can. He might come by soon," says Derek, ending his phone call. Chris has been gone for a while in South America, as far as they've known. Still, since last time, he always picks up the phone when the pack calls.

Scott is the one speaking first "And Isaac?"

"He'll give him a call. I already texted Cora anyway." After Allison's death, Chris and Isaac went to France, but when Argent returned to help the pack with the whole benefactor thing, Isaac stayed behind. They don't have all the details, but apparently Cora found her way to Isaac and they've been together since. They're dating, much to Derek's exasperation. "Braeden?"

"She'll be here in the morning," says Kira.

"What do you think we should do?" Brett stands next to Liam and Mason, asking the question everyone wants the answer to while looking directly at Scott.

"Back at Eichen, we couldn't get Peter's scent, and I doubt we'll find Malia's. So for now we'll wait and see if the Sheriff has any leads. I'll give Danny a call, see if he can manage to find who Malia was calling, maybe hack into Eichen, see if there's any file related to Peter that might help us." He pauses, glancing at Stiles. "Maybe you can go through your computer more thoroughly. Look for anything specific Malia may have browsed. Tomorrow, though. You look like shit, man." Some of the pack members laugh, relieving the tension in the room.

Even though he's feeling a little better, Stiles is still way too pale. "Thanks, bro. I love you too."

Everyone starts gathering their things. Some will leave for the night; the younger ones will stay with Derek.

"Seriously, dude. You look like hell. You need to get some sleep. So let's go home and we'll talk in the morning, about _everything_, okay?"

Stiles blushes, knowing he means Lydia. Involuntarily, he lets go of her hands and nods to Scott, who is already heading over to Kira. As Stiles gets up from the couch to follow him, Lydia speaks.

"I can drive you."

He turns around. Her cheeks are flushed and her voice sounded weak. She looks like a mess just as much as he does.

"O-okay…" He looks over at Scott. "I think I'll go with Lydia. You have to take Kira home anyway."

"Sure. Will you guys be okay?"

None of them answers Scott, already heading out together in silence.

Xxxxxxxxxx

"Scott, I don't know if it's such a good idea…" Kira and Scott just pulled over on Kira's driveway, and Kira's been wanting to say something since they left the loft, but didn't want to doubt his judgment.

"What?"

"Lydia and Stiles, leaving. Together. The two of them. I mean, emotions were all over the place… What if something happens? She took her car." She's worried, knowing she was the one that had to drive Lydia just a couple of hours before.

"They're both pretty responsible. If neither was able to drive, they wouldn't."

"Okay, so the ride's safe. What about _after_?"

Scott lowers his head, his voice just a murmur. "Let's just hope for the best and see what happens."

xxxxxxxxxx

They head out of the loft without a word, feeling everyone's eyes on them. In the car, the silence is agonizing, unbearable even. Lydia wants to scream but her voice is lost to her. On the passenger seat, Stiles looks outside the window, his fingers fidgety on his legs. Without looking, Lydia reaches for his hand and squeezes it just long enough to ease his nerves.

When she stops on his driveway, he gets out of the car and she follows close behind, still no words between them. He wants to tell her that he's okay and that she can go, but that's not what he wants, it's not what he needs. He needs her, and he needs her now. Once inside, she excuses herself to go get a glass of water as he heads upstairs. In the kitchen, one of her hands looks for support on the counter, the other is on her stomach. She's nervous, and Lydia Martin doesn't do nervous. Not unless she's in a life or death situation and that doesn't seem to be the case.

She fills two glasses with water, avidly drinking from one of them right away. She takes a deep breath as if it will help her think straight. Of course it doesn't. And she knows why she followed him inside. She obviously needs him as much as he needs her, but then what? What are they supposed to do about it? _Everything's so messed up…_

Before she knows it, she's knocking on his bedroom door and letting herself in, not waiting for his permission. He's sitting on the edge of his bed, his head on his hands, his elbows resting on his knees, legs slightly apart. As she gets closer, he looks up and reaches for the water, taking a sip. Then she walks away to lean on his desk and he places the glass on his bedside table, and then allows himself to look at her.

He's never seen her this careless with her image. She's just wearing a t-shirt and some sweatpants and her strawberry blonde locks are mostly falling from her bun. And she's not wearing making up. He's not sure it's possible, but she looks even more beautiful than she usually does. And that's saying something, since she's already the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. But her eyes are red and her cheeks rosy; she's obviously been crying and he wants to punch himself because he knows it's his fault, so he starts crying, not sure how that happened.

Lydia watches him as he's checking her out. She knows he won't care that she looks like a mess. It's Stiles, he likes her in any way. He looks tired. He could probably use some sleep but she doesn't know if he wants to talk or for her to stay or go. So she plans on waiting. But then something is wrong and he's crying again and she can't bear it. She encloses the distance between them and goes stand between his legs, her hands pulling his to her lower back and hers falling on his neck, pulling him closer to her chest. They hug tight, both crying their sorrows for a long time. They don't need words.

He's never felt so complete. He craves her touch to mend his wounds, because he knows it will, so he keeps her close for as long as he can.

When they part, all tears gone, he looks at her like she's the sun, just like he did that day in the locker room, her heart faltering the same way. She takes a second, hesitant. But a second it's all she needs and suddenly she's pressing her lips against his with an urge she never felt before. Her hands find his hair, something she's wanted to do for a while now, and even though it's messy, it's soft, just like she thought it would be. And his hands are on her hips, tenderly pulling her closer, as he delves into their kiss.

They only stop when all the air has escaped their lungs and it becomes inevitable, afraid the other will vanish into thin air if they part. Breaking the kiss they gasp for hair, breathing heavy.

He looks at her, his eyes appealing but cautious, hers mirroring his but determined not to look away. He moves on the bed so that his back is pressed against the wall and she follows, untying her hair and sitting on top of him, and she does it _oh so slowly_ he thinks he might die.

It's like time has stopped. They take their time, adjusting to the other and scanning every inch only with their sight. She then takes his hands on hers and entwines their fingers, both noticing how they seem to fit perfectly. He leans forward, pressing his forehead against hers, freeing his fingers so they can play with her hair.

She bites her lip, letting her right hand rest over his heart, focusing on the movements his chest makes as he breathes and feeling his heartbeat, making sure it's real. Her left hand goes to his neck, her fingers tingling his skin, moving from his collarbone to his jaw. She looks up at him and then at his lips, astonished with how long she let pass since they first kissed. How she found the will to stay away from him all this time is beyond her, so she encloses the distance between them to make sure it never happens again, only to stop abruptly before their lips meet.

Because they kissed twice already and both times she was the one who kissed him first. He deserves better. He deserves to be the one who kisses the girl he's had a crush on for so many years, so she pauses, waiting for him to make the move.

At her halt, he stops too, now anxious. He fears she doesn't want him and that she never will, but she stops his rambling thoughts, smiling now, her fingers moving along his jaw. He's mesmerized by the sight of her, like he's under a spell. She gives him a reassuring nod. Lydia is amused, _hell_ she can't stop smiling because if she's being honest with herself no one has ever looked at her like that and she's feeling all kinds of weird inside her and she doesn't want it to stop.

And at that moment she looks like she doesn't have a care in the world and he feels like he's worshiping a goddess, so he smiles too. Pulling her closer, he bites his lower lip looking at hers and it drives her insane. But two can play this game, so she bites her lip too, looking at him defiant, a smile in her eyes. That's all it takes for him to cup her cheeks and kiss her.

This time it's different. It's not lustful or demanding. It's slow and caring and sweet and unexpected in so many ways. It's the way it's supposed to be.

Lydia moans as he plants soft kisses on her neck, goosebumps all over her skin. At the sound he stops, almost embarrassed that he'd take such an initiative. She can't help but laugh at him.

"What?" he asks, entertained.

"Nothing," she says making fun of him, placing a quick peck on his lips. "We should get some sleep, you know. You look like hell." She can't stop smiling at him. _What is he doing to me?_

"Back at you," but he's lying. She's still the sun. "You are still beautiful, though." He smiles widely.

At that, she leans closer again and bites his lower lip, teasing him. "Good thing I'm not the only one then," she whispers, her lips brushing his. He strokes her cheek and kisses her again, holding her close as she melts into the kiss.

It takes them a while to part again, wanting to taste more of each other, to explore uncharted territory, but looking at the time and realizing it's late, they eventually lay down on his bed, side by side under the covers. She rests her head on his chest, his arms around her pulling them as close as he can manage, and they look at each other like they can see the stars.

Not caring that their life is a mess or that they need to talk or that the Sheriff should be home soon, they fall asleep like that.

**Author's Note:** **I really had fun writing this chapter so I hope you like it. Next chapter things won't go so well, but why would they? It's Teen Wolf! If you guys have any ideas you'd like to see in this fic send me a message and I'll see if I can make it work! Also, I found some really good prompts and might be starting a whole other story because I just can't get enough Stydia. Anyways tell me what you think of the fic so far so I know if I'm doing good as this is for me as much as it is for all of you :) I'm you-make-me-wander on tumblr**


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary:** **Hey lovelies. I must admit this fic is turning out to be more challenging than I thought because I had this very specific idea and after 6 chapters I'm still only building up to it. But I don't care, I'm really having fun. This chapter is all about Stydia and Scira, featuring a (sort of) unexpected guest, and takes place the morning after. It's also a little longer than the others, but it sets the story for the next chapter. Hope you enjoy :)**

**Chapter 6**

In the morning, the first thing Kira does is reach for her phone and call Scott. She knows she is probably gonna wake him up but she doesn't care. She is _way_ too excited.

"Hey babe. Did you sleep well?" He is dragging the words.

It's like she didn't even hear his question. "Scott, did they tell you anything?"

Looking around his room, Scott is somewhat confused. It has to be early. The sun is barely out. "Who?"

"Stiles. Or Lydia. I texted her but she didn't answer."

"Kira. You shouldn't have…" He sits on the bed and checks the time on his watch. 06:30 am. "You couldn't you have called me in an hour or two? We need as much sleep as we can get. We don't know what's coming…"

"Sorry," she mutters. "But I'm curious. I can't help it," she says biting her lips. If she has to live vicariously through Stiles and Lydia for the time being, so be it.

Scott smiles. "I'm curious too. But what if you uh… interrupted…"

"Oh my god. You think?" She covers her mouth in shock. It didn't really occurred to her, but it makes sense. The tension between the duo was palpable back at the loft.

He laughs, imagining Kira on the other side of the line. "I don't know. I guess we'll have to wait to find out. Now can we please get some more rest?"

She apologizes again and they talk to each other on the phone until they drift off to sleep.

xxxxxxxxxx

Lydia wakes up to the sun warming her body. As she opens her eyes, she stretches lazily on the bed. She glances at the alarm clock on his bedside table. 7:43am. She hasn't had a good night sleep in months. Until last night, that is, and she's sure it has everything to do with the young man next to her. Stiles is lying on his side sound asleep, his arms placed where she was just moments ago. He looks younger like this, peaceful, more beautiful even. It's not like Lydia hasn't noticed before how good-looking he is, but it's something she has only admitted to herself rather recently. Sitting on the bed facing him, she brings her knees up to her chest and just stares.

She notices how his hair spikes in every direction, how his face looks relaxed. More attentively, she maps the moles on his face and his neck. _Where else_, she wonders, and without noticing, she blushes. She doesn't know how she got here. Lydia from two or three years ago would laugh out loud if someone told her in the future she'd be sharing a bed with Stiles Stilinski wanting to come clean about her feelings, that she'd trust him like she wouldn't trust anyone else, that she'd actually want to be one with him. She couldn't be more glad that that Lydia doesn't exist anymore. And Stiles is different too. He's not that hyperactive teenager who had a crush on her, the Sheriff's awkward son, kinda nerd. He's so much more mature than she ever thought he would turn out to be. And she wants to believe it's not just a crush anymore. Things are different, they are different.

She wants to touch him but she doesn't want to wake him. Smiling to herself, she gets up from the bed quietly and heads to his dresser. Looking in several drawers, she picks up one of his oversized t-shirts and grabs her purse. She must have made some noise, because Stiles is turning on the bed, his back now resting on the mattress. He's still sleeping, but his shirt is now uncovering a large portion of his slightly defined torso, and she feels her cheeks burning. Her mouth is watering, and she uses it as an excuse to return to his bed, like somehow he's inviting her.

One of her knees is already on the bed when she stops. Last night happened. They both know it and she has no intentions of denying it, ever, but they'll have to talk about it, about everything, she owes him that much. And it's not like their lives have exactly been easy these last few months. They lost Allison and Aiden, he was possessed by a trickster spirit, more people died, he got a girlfriend and she didn't learn much about her new powers. They got separated for a while, distracted with life happening around them. But they still always come back to the other, like a pull. And this is new to her, the feeling of caring more about someone other than herself. And she does. She trusts him with her life, no second thoughts. She loves him in so many ways she's afraid she will never be able to show him properly, but she will try. And that requires an awoken Stiles and he needs his rest, so she stands up.

He still looks hot, though, so before leaving for the bathroom, she drinks the water he left on his bedside table as if it will do anything to appease her thirst.

xxxxxxxxxx

Scott wakes to his phone ringing again. He checks the time before answering the call. 8:22m. "Hey, Kira."

"She texted me.".

"Lydia?"

"Of course, who else?!"

"Okay, so what did she say?" Scott's awake now, paying attention.

"It reads _'We're fine. Everything's good. Talk later'_. I think she's trying to kill me…"

"Hey," he chuckles, "that's more words than she usually texts anyone, so I'm sure you'll get all the details."

"Well, I don't want them later, I want them now." She almost sounds annoyed.

He hesitates because he knows something's up, and he's sure he knows what it is. They need to talk, get it out of the way. "Come over in an hour. I'll be waiting." He ends the call, not giving her a chance to refuse.

xxxxxxxxxx

Stiles wakes up around 8:30 am, and the first thing he does is to count his fingers to make sure he is awake. It's a habit he picked up when Void was around and it became part of his daily routine. Even though he counts ten fingers, he's not so sure he is awake. Or at least it was a hell of a dream, because he can swear Lydia Martin just spent the night with him and it feels so real he pinches himself. He feels the pain, so he is awake. But he must have been dreaming, because there's not a hint of a 5'3 strawberry blonde in his room.

He closes his eyes inhaling deeply, trying to remember. But what catches his attention is the sweet, warm smell of pancakes. _What the hell?_ He's already getting up from his bed, heading downstairs. He knows his dad cheats on his diet pretty much anytime he can, but it usually happens when Stiles is not home. He's already cursing under his breath the lecture he is about to direct to the Sheriff when he sees a glimpse of red move around the kitchen. Stopping immediately, his mind wanders. Lydia couldn't possibly have spent the night _and_ be making him breakfast, _right?_ And certainly not while she's only wearing one of his t-shirts, long enough to hide her legs almost to her knees. Practically tiptoeing, he approaches the kitchen door, snooping inside.

Lydia moves around like she belongs there. She's dividing her attention between the stove and the coffee maker, and _is she smiling?_ His heart beats unsteady as he enters the kitchen and makes his way to her. She has her back to the door, so he startles her when he suddenly places his hands on her hips.

"What- Stiles!" She wants to laugh and to be mad at him the same time. It has become her main indecision lately, always trying to find the balance. She laughs. Turning around to face him completely, her arms reach his neck and she twines her fingers behind it.

He tightens the grip on her hips and smiles back. "Good morning."

She pulls him closer. "Hi." She knows she kind of sounded like she was melting and that she looks smitten, infatuated even, but who cares? That's how she feels. She slowly leads her lips to his, giving him time to pull back if he wants.

He doesn't. He closes the gap between their lips and kisses her softly, tenderly, lovingly, like he always imagined he would do someday. Only this is so much better because it's real. It really is. He pulls back, smiling wide.

She lets out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding. "Why are you smiling?"

"Lydia Martin is making me breakfast," he says amused. "Life goals."

She slaps his arm, playful. "Careful, Stilinski." Turning around and away from him, she turns off the coffee maker and then returns to the stove, flipping the pancakes which are almost done.

Feeling bold, he sneaks behind her, getting close enough so that his chest is touching her back as he lets his fingertips run across her arms slowly. "So, careful uh?" he whispers in her ear.

She pretends she's not listening but still leans into his touch. And she has to close her eyes when he moves her hair away from her right shoulder, his fingers tracing unknown patterns on the exposed skin of her neck. She can feel her breaths quicken and her skin is on fire, but she fights to stay focused on the task at hand.

Stiles takes it as a challenge. And he's never audacious like this, not when it comes to romance, not at all, but this is Lydia Martin. He wraps his arms around her waist. "How careful do you want me to be?" he whispers, kissing her earlobe, and trailing down her neck to her collarbone with kisses and a few licks.

She bites her lower lip, trying not to let out a moan. _What the hell?_ When did Stiles Stilinski started doing this to her? Not like she cares, definitely not right now. "I don't," she murmurs back to him openly, trusting he'll take the hint. And sure enough, he gently places his lips on her neck and kisses the spot he chose right below her ear, sucking and biting only hard enough for it to mark her, as she stretches her right arm and places her hand on the back of his neck, her nails clawing his skin.

"Ahem."

They part instantly, startled. None of them realized a very uncomfortable Stilinski was standing by the kitchen door.

"Dad? I… What-?" Stiles rubs the back of his neck, unable to form words. That happens so rarely that Lydia has to laugh.

"You look like you're about to ask me what I'm doing in my own house, so I'm gonna stop you right there, son." Just like Stiles, he's rubbing his neck. He turns to a very flushed strawberry blonde. "Good morning, Lydia."

"Good morning, Sheriff." Even though she's blushing, she handles the situation just fine. "I was making breakfast, I hope you don't mind…" She turns to the stove and starts busying herself again, unable to stop smiling. "Care to join us? I made enough."

"Don't you have to be at the station?" Stiles desperately hopes his dad will leave.

"_Hell!_ I'm the Sheriff. I can get there a little late." He notices the pancakes and smiles sympathetically at Lydia. "Thank god you're here or I'd have to eat plastic again," he mutters.

"Hey," Stiles protests, frowning. "You know if I don't make you eat healthy, you won't."

The Sheriff turns to Lydia. "See what I have to deal with here?"

"Oh," she turns around grinning. "I know."

Stiles blushes hard and the Sheriff laughs. "You two are the worst, did you know that?"

She distracts him from his reverie. "Stiles, the coffee."

The Sheriff is already gathering the syrup and some apples, just like the Stilinski men like it. Lydia serves the pancakes and brings the plates to the table while Stiles pours coffee for the three of them. It's like they're in sync. They sit and have breakfast together like it's something they do every day. The Sheriff asks them about school and they ask him about work. He shares embarrassing stories of a younger Stiles and she listens attentively, avidly learning all his dirty little secrets, only stepping out for a few minutes to answer a phone call. Stiles is truthfully considering hiding under the table just to evade further embarrassment when she returns to the room and the Sheriff gets up, taking it as his cue.

"I should get going, I have to get down to the station."

Being a Sunday, Lydia figured he'd stay home. "Oh. I thought you were staying in today. There are so many things you still haven't told me about Stiles…" She glances at Stiles smiling, pulling her hair to one side.

"Stop enjoying this so much," he says, making a face. But he's not even really paying attention to what she's saying because he's in awe with the sight of her, cheeks rosy and all smiles. _Could she look more gorgeous right now?_

The Sheriff looks at the two of them, genuinely happy. He's been rooting for this for a while, and now that Malia left… He liked Malia, but she's not Lydia. Not to Stiles. But this whole situation is all too recent, and that's why he has to play tough parent. Sort of. "Yeah, so this is really not my thing, but I think I have to set some ground rules here…" He's rubbing his neck again. Lydia and Stiles exchange a glance. "Lydia, if you plan on staying the night sometime it's fine, you know the door is always open for the pack. You two just let me know, preferably before I sneak in on you guys… Well, like before…" She nods, her cheeks red. "And make sure you're mom knows where you're staying."

"Okay," Stiles mumbles. "Sounds reasonable."

"And I trust your judgment, I do, but I hope you two know what you're doing. I don't want anybody getting hurt."

"Dad…"

"Like I said, I trust your judgment." He pauses, not sure if he wants to go down that road. But he has to, so he proceeds. "Just… be safe."

Still like they are in sync, the three of them blush. Lydia nervously looks at her hands and Stiles snaps at his dad, his face as red as it can probably get. "Oh my god, Dad. Are you kidding?" He gestures his hand between himself and Lydia. "We didn't… We just slept together. I mean, like sleep, not… Nothing happened."

"Kiddo, I'm not judging, just saying…" He wants out of this conversation just as much as Stiles and Lydia do, so he starts walking to the door, only turning around to say goodbye.

"Thank you for the pancakes, Lydia. They were delicious." She smiles shyly and nods. "I'll see you guys later. Oh and," he'll just be mean now, "I'm pretty sure that'll bruise," he motions to her neck where the hickey is already showing, "so next time this little bastard tries to pull another stunt like that, feel free to kick him where you feel it's most convenient." Stiles almost lets his jaw drop to the floor and Lydia burst out laughing. Smiling widely, the Sheriff turns around and leaves.

xxxxxxxxxx

**Kira is nervous, to say the least. ****_What now?_**** Scott left her hanging and she's been stupidly looking at her phone for almost ten minutes. She wants to call Lydia, but she won't. Scott was right. What if she was rudely interrupting? But she has to talk to someone and Lydia is pretty much her only girlfriend, so she decides to text again.**

**Kira: Sorry if I'm interrupting, but I need some advice. Scott wants to talk. What should I do?**

**Her phone rings not two minutes later. It's Lydia.**

**"****Hey, Lydia." She sounds unsure. "I'm sorry if I'm intruding, I'm just freaking out a bit. You shouldn't have called…"**

**Lydia was at the Stilinski's living room, away from prying ears. "Kira, it's fine. We're just having breakfast. Did Scott say what he wanted to talk to you about?"**

**"****No, but…"**

**"****I'm pretty sure we know what ****_that_****'s about," Lydia mutters.**

**"****Yeah… So, should I go?"**

**"****I think so. Don't you want to know? I would."**

**"****Yeah… I mean, yes, I want to know. Maybe I'm just a little scared, you know?"**

**Lydia sighs. "I know…"**

**Kira sits straight, alert. "Now what is ****_that_**** about?"**

**Lydia rolls her eyes. "Sweetheart, I'm sure you want all the details, but even I don't have them all…" She pauses. "Not yet anyway. Stiles and I, we're good, but we still haven't talked so I'm not sure where we stand…"**

**They both sigh. Kira is the one breaking the silence. "So I guess I'll talk to Scott and you'll talk to Stiles…"**

**"****And ****_we_**** will talk later." Lydia smiles. She is finding her relationship with Kira to be easy, effortless. They say goodbye and Lydia returns to the kitchen.**

**The girls don't know it yet, but one of the pairings will be done by the end of the morning.**

**Author's Note:****I know it's mean, but it sets the story. And it won't be that bad and not for that long, I promise. Please review or leave me a message with your take on the story :) I'm you-make-me-wander on tumblr**


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary:** **Okay so chapter 7 is Stydia and Scira centred again and one of the duos sort of breaks up. I swear it'll be just for a while. Then the real fun begins. Happy reading :)**

**Chapter 7**

To say the least, Kira's emotions are all over the place when she arrives at Scott's. She's not exactly sure of what to say to him, or how. And being nervous won't help, not that she can do something about it. At his front door, she waits a few seconds before knocking on the door gathering her courage, but when she raises her hand he's already there, opening the door for her. _Of course_. He probably heard her.

"Hi." Her voice sounds broken.

"Come in. Let's go upstairs." His sounds worse.

She closes the door behind her and follows him to his room, sitting on the edge of the bed beside him. They stay like that for a while, sitting in silence, until Scott reaches for her hand and just stares, playing with their fingers like he's figuring out if they fit. He turns to face her and to get a better look at her features, carefully studying her eyes when her gaze meets his. She waits for him to say something, anything.

It takes him a few more moments. "I'm just gonna say what I have to say, so please don't stop me or I'll chicken out."

She nods. "Okay."

"Okay, so I know things are awkward and weird right now and that they have been for a while, but I don't think it's our fault. Not mine, not yours." He sighs. "Ever since Allison, my life turned upside down. Not after she… died, but when I met her. It was around the time I became a werewolf. I had to learn about the supernatural and then there she was, my first love. I was just a kid and my life changed completely." He pauses. "She was my first love. There's nothing I can do about that. And even when we broke up or when she died, I loved her. I still do. And I think I always will." He brushes his hands through his hair, looking for some kind of peace of mind. "But then I met you, and things changed again. You proved me that you can love more than one person, you know. And that there are different kinds of love because even though Allison and I were broken up when I met you, I loved her, but it gradually became this affection and care, not so much in a romantic way, I guess. Somehow I always figured we'd end up together though, but at the time it was enough. And then she was sort of with Isaac and… I saw you, like really saw you, and you were amazing and were willing to protect us and fight with us even though you barely knew what you were getting into. And I fell for you…" He takes a deep breath and looks at Kira's eyes, his hands cupping her cheeks. "I don't think I ever told you that. Not in words, anyway. But I did. And I like you. I _really_ like you, _so much_. So I want you to know that I want this, _us_, to work." Another pause. "I can't tell you that I love you. I don't think I'm there yet. But you should know that every time I see you, I fall for you a little more." He smiles and she returns. "So I want to do it right, if you'll let me. You just need to be patient, like _really_ patient with me." He's laughing now. "I tend to screw things u-"

She interrupts him with a kiss. It's urgent, like it's long overdue. He kisses her back and pulls her closer, because that's all he wants, to have her close.

Kira is the one breaking the kiss. "We both screw things up. And I don't think we're really good at this whole figuring things out, you know. It's awkward." He stares at her, confused. "I mean we need to work on it. And our timing usually sucks." She chuckles. "But I like you too. We can make it work," she says reassuringly.

Their lips meet again, only now it tastes more of acceptance.

"So we're good?"

"We're good," she replies.

xxxxxxxxxx

The Sheriff left about two minutes ago but Stiles is still in the same spot, like he's unable to move. Lydia already started to clean the table, when she notices his mind is not there, so she bumps him softly with her shoulder.

He comes back to Earth. "Oh, sorry. I was…"

"Distracted, I noticed." She smirks. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I… Sorry about that. My dad sometimes forgets to filter what he lets out," he says, frowning.

"Sounds like someone I know."

He smiles, placing his hands over his heart, pretending to be touched. "Didn't know you acknowledged my sarcasm."

"Always. What fun would it be if I didn't?" She plants a peck on his lips. "Come on."

They clean up the kitchen together and then go upstairs. As she grabs her sweatpants and leaves to the bathroom, he makes his bed and tidies his room just enough for it to look more presentable. Not that she hasn't seen his mess of a room before. She has, countless times. But this felt different. He paces nervously back and forth while he waits for her, thinking about what's next. What is he gonna say? And do, what's he gonna do? And Lydia… She's always the one to dismiss him, and she probably already jumped out the bathroom window and fled… _Ugh_.

Lydia is anxious too. Because when they came upstairs without a word, the air around them changed, became heavier. And now they have to talk and things will become real very quick. Not that they aren't real already. She meant every touch they shared. And now she'll have to tell him that. With actual words she doesn't quite know how to pronounce. _Ugh_.

She washes her face to ease the heat she can feel rising through her skin, takes a deep breath and leaves the bathroom.

xxxxxxxxxx

After a somewhat heated make out session, Kira and Scott are downstairs sitting on the couch, paying no attention to the TV whatsoever. She asked him if there are any news on the Malia/Peter front and no, there aren't. They are trying to come up with ideas and possible scenarios when his phone rings. It's Danny.

"Hey man, any news?"

Kira waits while Scott takes the call. She knows he talks to Danny sometimes but it still feels out of place, even for her, that Danny is not in Beacon Hills. She didn't know him well but he was nice. Everybody loves Danny. Last they heard, Danny and Ethan were in Brazil, where the former Alpha has some friends. And Ethan was a nice guy too, but Aiden's loss took its toll, so he had to get away and Danny followed.

When the call ends, Scott tells Kira that Danny hasn't learned much and might come over to take a look at Stiles' computer, that there's only so much he can do remotely, although he still has to talk to Ethan about it.

Kira sighs. "Okay, so maybe the Sheriff has something?"

"He probably would have told us by now. I guess we wait… I hate this." His hands go up in the air in frustration.

"I know. But hey, things will eventually have to get better right? At least for some of us…"

"Well, it should be for all of us. Have you heard from Lydia? Stiles didn't answer my text."

"Yeah, right. Forgot about that," Kira says abashed, smiling. "She called. They didn't really talk yet, but she said they were having breakfast, so I'm assuming she spent the night…" Kira's grinning now.

He laughs. "Really? Oh wow. Stiles will never shut up about that."

"I don't know. She sounded a little apprehensive on the phone. I just hope it turns out okay."

He pauses before asking. "Kira, can I ask you something?" She nods. "Don't take this the wrong way but why are you so invested in them? I mean I've been waiting for years now and you're almost more excited than I am…"

She laughs. "I don't know. It's like the ultimate love story. Everything I was told about them, how they were before, and seeing who they are now… That's development right there, like almost movie worthy, I'd say. They don't just love each other. _They are in love with each other_. And you know how they are opposites, but like soulmates. They are one. Do you know how rare it is? It's beautiful."

She looks way too excited about this. "It is. But, you know, if they're gonna talk, they'll probably mess it up. It's kind of what they do."

Kira sighs. "Let's just hope they make out then."

xxxxxxxxxx

Stiles is sitting on his bed with his back on the headboard when Lydia comes in. Sharing a glance, he moves closer to the wall so that she can sit beside him. Instinctively, she sits and lays her head on his chest, her legs resting on top of his. She looks for his hand and takes it on hers, squeezing lightly. His other arm rests on her waist in an embrace.

Lydia feels like if she were to die right now, she'd die happy. His touch is warm and inviting, almost like a drug. And she would have it every day. Focusing on his hands, she notices how long and skinny his fingers are and how small her hand looks compared to his. She lets her fingers brush his skin softly, learning every inch. And she melts when he kisses her hair, like he is doing right now. She has never shared anything so _intimate_ with anyone, everything about it so new to her. It's funny how you can fall in love with something as simple as a touch. She's never felt safer than right here and now, in Stiles' arms. But she knows it won't be long now. She can feel his heart speed up in his chest and his muscles are tensing.

His voice is just a whisper. "Lydia?"

"Hm." She doesn't dare move.

"Can we talk about this?" She nods. They don't look at the other, choosing to focus on the touch of their hands. "I don't know what this is. But I do know that I care about you, you know that…" She nods again, twining their fingers so fiercely she's afraid she might hurt him. "And I don't want you to hate me, because trust me, I'm already hating myself right now. But this… I want this to be right." He pauses and inhales deeply. He knows he's losing it. His control. Tears are already forming in his eyes. "I don't know what to do. I-" His voice breaks.

She can't bear the agony of his words so she kisses him, desperately trying to take the pain away. The kiss is soft, comforting, and they part slowly, their eyes meeting.

"I couldn't hate you." She strokes his cheek, not breaking the gaze. "I care about you. And I want this to be right too." He kisses her forehead so affectionately she can feel the warmth inside her. "I trust you. And I trust you to do the right thing."

They are both crying now, silent tears rolling down their cheeks. They need time. They have all been through so much and they are just kids. But they don't feel like teenagers, the weight of the world on their shoulders. So they talk about it for the rest of the morning, not moving. He tells her he needs to deal with how he let the nogitsune in, and how he still feels guilty for all those deaths. He tells her how much he enjoyed the chaos at the time, how it keeps him up at night so many times, afraid the power might overcome him. And how much he misses his mom or Allison. And how even though Malia left, it is all just too recent because before suspicions were raised, he actually cared about the girl and she's barely even gone for a day. He tells her he hopes he'll do the right thing for the both of them, but really needs time first.

On the other hand, Lydia tells him how she really doesn't miss her dad much and how remorseful that makes her feel. She tells him she's trying hard to embrace her powers but it is exhausting and sometimes it makes her feel like she doesn't know anything anymore. And they don't know about her grandmother either, if she's alive or not, and the unknown scares her. She tells him how she felt Allison's death ripping through her, leaving her breathless. How she misses her dearly. And her voice is broken when she tells him what it was like for her when the nogitsune was around, that she knew it wasn't Stiles but still has nightmares sometimes. She tells him she hopes she'll be able to put in words everything she wants to tell him when the time comes.

They stay quiet for a long time after that. When they get up, they promise each other the time they may need to figure it out, and before leaving, Lydia kisses him like it might be the last time, a kiss so passionate she could swear that's her first real kiss, only parting when they are both out of breath. Then, grabbing her things, she turns around and leaves.

xxxxxxxxxx

**"****Scott, I have to go." Kira's knocking on his bathroom door. He is taking a shower and they were supposed to head out for lunch, but now their plans are off. ****_Again_****.**

**"****Already? What is it?" He shouts from inside.**

**"****Lydia called."**

**"****Is she okay?"**

**"****I don't know."**

**Author's Note:** **It won't be long now, I promise, and the next chapter has tension all over but things will get better. Meanwhile, make sure to check out "Know better", my other multi-chapter Stydia fic, and please review or leave me a message with your take on the story so far :) I'm you-make-me-wander on tumblr**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**Lydia: I'll leave the front door unlocked for you. Just close it when you get here**

Kira received her text while she was driving to Lydia's home. When she got there, Kira did as she was told. She let herself in and locked the door behind her, heading to Lydia's bedroom next. She found Lydia sitting at her vanity, writing. On top of her bed were six big cardboard boxes. Her room was too messy for Lydia, she always has it pristine. There's stuff inside the boxes and more things spread on the bed and on the floor.

"Lydia?" Kira's tone is cautious.

"Can you help me? I need to find something."

"Of course. Is everything okay?"

Lydia doesn't look at Kira, continuing to write. "In one of those boxes should be a little card, like a business card. It should be inside a black and white envelope. Would you please see if you can find it? I really need it and I can't just leave this right now..." She points to the paper she's writing on.

Kira approaches Lydia and places a hand on her shoulder, offering her support. Obviously things didn't go well. Lydia is crying and won't look at her. "Of course. Anything else I can do?"

Lydia just shakes her head and squeezes Kira's hand softly. Kira turns to the bed. As she comes closer she stops. "Lydia, are these Allison's things?" she whispers.

"Yes. And it's okay, Kira." She actually lifts her head up to look at the girl, quiet tears rolling down her cheeks. "Would you please do it, for me?" Lydia sounds so broken that Kira can't even find her own voice, so she nods slightly.

In all her rummage, Kira finds things that she knows belonged to Allison. Others she assumes are things the girl gave Lydia or that were given to her upon Allison's death. It takes Kira a few minutes to find it. While she was at it, neither spoke a word, both focused on what they were doing.

"I think I got it." She waves the small object at Lydia. "Is this it?"

Lydia glances at the card, her eyes suddenly hopeful. "Yes. Would you please read it? I need to hear the words." The last sentence comes out a whisper.

Kira seems unsure, but Lydia nods with a smile on her lips that doesn't reach her eyes. Kira looks at her hands. She's holding a small envelope, black on one side, white on the other. There are a few lines in red that trace a pattern on both sides of the envelope. In part it's a straight line, in other parts it seems knotted, but the line is unceasing. She opens it carefully, finding a card inside. It's beige, probably made from recycled paper, and has writing on it in what she recognizes is Allison's handwriting. She looks at Lydia, who nods again.

One of the sides of the card only has two words. "_Remember, Lydia._"

At Kira's voice, Lydia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Turn it around," she murmurs.

Kira does. There's a quote on it. She reads it to herself first and regrets it immediately after. She sighs and reads it only loud enough for Lydia to be able to hear. It's like all her strength has vanished and her voice is caught in her throat. Tears menace to escape her eyes as she reads. "_'You're in love with him, and he's in love with you, and it's like a goddamn tragedy, because you look at him and see the stars, and he looks at you and sees the sun. And you both think the other is just looking at the ground.'_"

Kira can barely hold the piece of paper in her hands. As soon as she finishes reading, the air in the room becomes thick and soon they are both sobbing and gasping for air as they both cry.

Kira holds her tight, hugging Lydia as she falls apart. They stay like that for a while, Kira comforting her the best she can. When Lydia stops crying, they are both sitting on the floor, side by side. Lydia is turning the card over and over in her hands, like it holds some hidden secret she hasn't found yet. She's the one breaking the silence.

"Allison had it made for me. She gave it to me after Jackson was gone. She had the envelope be black on one side and white on the other to represent night and day. Two sides of the same. And the line..." She traces it with her fingers. "It's the red string of fate. 'It may stretch or tangle, but never break'," she whispers. "Allison knew that Stiles had a crush on me. Everyone did, I think. But when we thought Jackson was dead, I turned to Stiles willingly. I think it was the first time, really. Until then I just pretended he didn't exist. And somehow, Allison knew. I just wasn't ready to see it yet.

But then I was the one bringing Jackson back and he broke my heart, and I broke Stiles' heart and it was all a mess. So she gave it to me when she came back that summer. Before handing me the envelope she said '_stop looking for happiness in the same place you lost it_'. And then I opened it and read it and just looked at her annoyed and asked her if it was some kind of joke." She smiles. "She laughed in my face and told me someday I'd get it. I just came home and shoved it in a drawer. Didn't think about it again until I kissed Stiles in the locker room. I still didn't want to admit she was right, though, so I left it where it was. Only after she passed I stayed up an entire night looking for it because I couldn't remember where I left it. I found it but thought it was better if I kept it away, Stiles was already with Malia anyway, so I put it in one of the boxes with Allison's things. But today I- I just..." She takes a deep breath.

"You needed to hear it. I get it."

"Sorry I wouldn't help you look for it. It's still hard for me to go through her things..."

"It's fine. What were you writing about over there?" She points to Lydia's vanity.

"I hm... I write to Allison. It's stupid, I know."

"Don't say that..."

Lydia gets up and grabs a pile of letters carefully attached with a ribbon around them. Kira hadn't noticed them before. "I know she'll never read them, but I still write them. It helps me deal with things..." She puts them inside one of the boxes and they start packing everything again.

"Hey, don't forget this." Kira picks up the little envelope with the card from the floor and hands it to Lydia.

She places it on her vanity delicately. "I think I should keep it around this time," she murmurs.

When they put the boxes back inside her closet, Lydia speaks again. "I think we'll be okay, you know? In time."

"And now?"

"We'll stay apart and figure out our issues. Then we'll see..."

"So you won't be seeing each other?"

"Not more than we have to. Pack meetings and stuff. We want to do it right. But it still hurts. And it's not even fair of me to be complaining. He's been hurting for so long now, years..."

Kira stops her. "Just because you didn't fall for him before, doesn't mean you love him less..." Kira pauses. "Because you really are in love with him, aren't you?"

Lydia looks at her and allows herself to smile. This time her eyes smile too. "That's a question I'll only answer when he's the one asking."

xxxxxxxxxx

When Scott finished showering Kira had already left so, of course, he went to Stiles'. He finds him lying on his stomach on the couch, his head hiding underneath one of the pillows.

"I don't wanna talk, Scott."

Scott sits on one of the armchairs. "Well I'm here to not talk, then." He knows Stiles won't be quiet for long so he waits.

It takes him about ten minutes to finally turn around. "You should have left."

"And where would I go, Stiles?"

"To Kira's or somewhere else. I don't really care."

"Well, Kira can't right now."

Stiles looks at him. "Is she with Lydia?" Scott nods. "Good, that's good."

"What happened? You two messed it up, didn't you?"

Stiles sighs. "Not really. We talked, we had to. And we are kind of in the same page, I guess..."

"Then why aren't you two together?"

Stiles sits and hides his face on his hands for a moment. "I don't know, Scott. We came home last night, and we cried and we made out and then we slept together. _Just slept_." He adds, looking at the face Scott's making. "And this morning everything was too good to be true. So we talked and we both agreed that there are some things we need to work out on our own." He pauses to catch his breath. "At least we both agreed that we want this, _us_, to work, so that's something, right?"

"I just don't get why you two have to be miserable in the meantime..."

"I just broke up with Malia. Actually, more like I snapped at her and she left and I don't know when or if she's coming back. And I still see _him_, Scott. When I look in the mirror or in my nightmares... Sometimes it's like he never left."

"The Nogitsune wasn't you, Stiles. We already talked about this."

"I know. But it's hard okay? Not knowing if you can control your own mind. It terrifies me, Scott, knowing I could let him hurt one of you again. It keeps me up at night..."

Scott sits on his side and puts his arm over Stiles' shoulder. "We'll figure this out, okay? I promise."

xxxxxxxxxx

Lydia told Kira about last night in detail and if someone asks her, no, Kira wasn't jumping in excitement, she was just stretching her legs while elevating herself from the ground. As for Lydia, she is really glad she could confide in Kira. And she's sure Allison would be doing the exact same thing.

They call Grace and Braeden for a girls night, and Scott and Stiles call the others to spend some time together. Despite everything, it turns out to be a good night. Everyone else knows something is up but no one mentions it.

Not until, of course, it becomes too much. Because as always, things are easier said than done. During the first week, Stiles and Lydia actually manage to avoid each other at school and as there are no other news on the supernatural side of things, the pack does not get together that weekend. The following weeks, however, are more challenging. They keep bumping into each other at school and end up seated next to each other in class. They make small talk so it doesn't get too weird, but the more they try to stay apart, the more the pull gets them together.

They can feel it. This itch that doesn't go away until they are close. Even when they were with the others, they would start in opposite sides of the room and somehow end up side by side. On their third weekend, there's a pack meeting. No one says anything, but the wolves made sure the meeting didn't last long. When Kira asked Scott why they were rushing it, he said they couldn't handle the smell.

They weren't the only ones not handling it. The first time it was Stiles who led Lydia to a janitor's closet in the school, locking them both inside for a make out session. The second time Lydia was the one to get inside Stiles' Jeep and tell him to park somewhere remote.

The pull was too strong and they weren't so sure that they'd made the right choice anymore. But they are both incredibly smart, so they figure they have to stick with what they agreed to, so maybe it's better they don't talk or see each other at all for a while. Neither would certainly confess it had something to do with their pride or their stubbornness.

So it becomes unbearable for everyone. Stiles and Lydia actually play their parts, but now they are always irritable and grumpy. It's like they are back to the old days, when sarcasm used to rule their relationship. As for the others, they can barely take it, because they are either putting up with the pair arguing or they have to be without them, and it doesn't feel right.

Two months into Stiles and Lydia's agreement, Derek texts Scott.

**Derek: Pack meeting in an hour. Everyone but Stydia. I got it**

**Author's note: I'm saying it. ****_Camping trip!_**** And please don't kill me yet because of all the feels. The fun part is about to begin :) Make sure to check out my other Stydia fic, "Know better", and as always review or send me a message. I love to hear from you ;) I'm you-make-me-wander on tumblr**


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary: First of all, let me apologize for all the misspelling last chapter. I wasn't home for a few days and the keyboard I was using with my tablet kept skipping a few letters or double entering them, and I was in such a rush to update I didn't proofread and I'm sorry. I think I have it covered now, so you can reread chapter 8 if you want to.**

**Also, I'm gonna take some liberties here. The timeline may not be according to the show at this point of the story, but I really don't care. It's not like we have an established timeline in TW anyways. Their trip takes place during summer break and is set just outside one of the many national forests of California. As always, things get a little worse before they get better, but fun is already on the way.**

**This chapter is a little longer because it didn't seem right to cut it in half, so here you go! Happy reading :)**

**Chapter 9**

It takes another two weeks for Derek to set everything up. By the time he's ready, school is over and the summer already started. Aside from Stiles and Lydia, who are driving everyone crazy, the pack hasn't been doing much in the meantime, mainly just waiting for something to happen.

Derek's text to everyone comes on a Monday afternoon. It says they need to meet at the loft and it's urgent. When they are all gathered, Stiles and Lydia are impatient, not understanding what is so important about the meeting if no one is in danger and there aren't any other news about Peter or Malia.

"I was taking a nap, dude." Almost forgetting who he was talking to, the words are out of Stiles' mouth before he can stop himself and sound harsher than he intended.

"Don't call me dude," Derek says, giving him a glare. He actually wants to laugh at the whole situation, but obviously can't. First because it would give it away, second because he's Derek. "What, you need your beauty sleep?"

"That's what I was gonna say," states Lydia, not looking at Stiles, instead choosing to check her nails.

Stiles points a finger at her. "Don't _you_ start. I'm not in the mood." He turns to Derek. "What are we doing here then?"

"I needed all of you here asap because we're leaving in 24 hours. It doesn't give us much time to gather our things."

"And where are we going?" Liam is the one asking. Derek made sure not to tell anyone about his plans except for Braeden. Scott and Kira are only in on part of it because they are not that good liars and probably wouldn´t keep their mouth shut. Besides, he has some surprises planned.

"We're heading southeast. It's a 3-hour drive. We are taking three cars, two if Stiles takes the Jeep."

"The Jeep? My Jeep? Did I volunteer or something? I don't think so..." Stiles' can't control his bitterness and his rambling; his senses are tingling. He can't put his finger on it, but something's up.

Lydia wants to stay quiet and stop being sarcastic, but she can't help it. This whole Stiles' agreement thing has her on edge lately. "Oh sweetheart," she says rolling her eyes, "I think we're taking three cars. I'm not sure the Jeep can afford such a long trip."

"Don't you dare..." Stiles takes a step closer to her, but Scott puts a hand on his chest, stopping him.

"Derek, what's this trip about? You said there were no news, no sign of Malia or Peter...".

"There's nothing. There are no leads whatsoever and we already did everything we could think of to try and find them. Maybe they just left, I don't know."

It's Kira's turn to ask. "Then I don't get it. Where are we going?"

Derek grins as he crosses his arms. "We're going camping."

"_I am not_ going camping," Lydia's tone is imperative.

"Wow, we finally agreed on something," Stiles frowns, gesturing between him and Lydia.

Derek continues. "Actually, all of us are. No exceptions. And it's not really camping. We'll be sleeping in cabins, Lydia, not in tents. My family has this huge private property that has been out of use for years just outside this preserve in..."

"So we're going to an abandoned property in the middle of nowhere? I'm sticking with no."

"Lydia, stop interrupting. There are plenty of cabins enough for all of us. And it's not that remote, the main road it's like 10 miles away. And it's near a lake."

Braeden speaks next. "It's beautiful. I've seen pictures."

Lydia keeps at it. "Didn't you just say it has been inhabited?"

"I took care of it. Everything's functioning. We'll have gas, electricity, water..."

"Wi-fi?" Brett asks.

Derek rolls his eyes. "Yes, Brett, there's internet."

Brett looks at Grace and they both nod, smiling. "We're in."

Stiles speaks again. "You still haven't told us why we're going."

"Look, we have been working our asses off lately and came up with nothing. We haven't heard anything, nor have the others. Deaton, Chris or Isaac… And nothing happened. I think for now we're in the clear, so we might as well make the most of it."

"I'm sorry. Are you telling me that we're going on a _vacation_?" That's probably the most ironic Stiles' has ever managed to sound. He laughs. "Good luck with that, _dude_. After Mexico, my dad barely lets me leave the neighborhood, so I guess it's a no go, sorry. What next, you wanna bond?"

Derek's look is smug now. "Well, _dude_, I got it covered. I already talked to all of your parents. They are okay with it as long as everyone's responsible; it's not like you're just kids anymore. We'll still have to keep an eye on them, though." He points to the younger ones. "Other than that, they're fine with it."

He had everything worked out. There was food and plenty of things they could do. It was far away enough from civilization that they could just relax and enjoy their time by themselves, but they still had a small town not 15 miles from his property in case they need anything. The parents, actually, were the easy part. The Sheriff and Melissa were too eager to get their sons out of the house, Natalie didn't mind much as long as they had fun and behaved. Mr. and Mrs. Yukimura, however, along with Mason and Liam's parents, were a little harder to convince, but Derek managed. As long as everyone is safe, it's okay. There's good cell reception and if anything happens, the pack is together anyways so they should be fine.

Stiles' jaw is open, somewhat in shock. "Scott, are you okay with this?"

"Yeah, I guess... We could use a distraction, Stiles. And it's summer. Come on, did you have better plans?" Scott crosses his arms and raises an eyebrow.

"Yes, Scott. Like not doing anything or sleep..."

"I don't think even your bed likes you that much, Stiles."

"Oh my god, Lydia, I swear..."

"Stiles, that's enough." Scott takes charge, raising his voice a little. "We need a break. _Hell_ we deserve it. I'm saying we're going." Stiles opens his mouth to strike back, but Scott cuts him out. "And it's final. End of discussion."

Both Stiles and Lydia seem annoyed, but resigned. Lydia tilts her head to the side, thoughtful. "How long are we gonna stay?"

"At least two weeks. Maybe more. Why?"

"We are definitely taking more cars. If I'm going, I'm not taking just a change of clothes, you know…"

"Great, now we'll have to take her wardrobe too. Fantastic."

Now it's Lydia's turn to take a step towards Stiles but Kira pulls her back slightly by the arm. The redhead is almost fuming. "I think what Lydia is trying to say is we don't travel lightly. Us girls, I mean. We're definitely gonna have to take three cars, I think."

Derek answers. "Then I suggest you all go home and pack. We'll see about the cars tomorrow. We're leaving at 5pm. If anyone," he continues, now looking at Stiles, "is late or trying to bail, I'll chase you down and you'll be traveling in one of the trunks, see if I care. Am I clear?"

Everyone nods. When they leave Derek's loft, most of them are excited, some a little apprehensive. It doesn't come so natural to them to just have a little fun.

xxxxxxxxxx

Lydia, of course, was right. Including the Jeep they take three cars, and every single trunk is completely packed, along with some of the seats. As for the seating arrangements, Scott has to once again step up and dictate everyone's place before things get heated between the duo, which is actually Lydia's fault. The girls are taking so many travel bags with them that they will only fit in the Jeep's trunk and Lydia refuses to go in a different car and letting her bags out of her sight. In fact, she just doesn't want to be away from Stiles; the tension is bigger when they are not together, and even though Stiles feels the same, it scares him. Things have been getting a little out of proportion lately and he's not sure what he deals with better: being around Lydia or not being around her. Because he'll be driving, he thinks it's better to not take her with him, stating he doesn't know how he'll possibly endure a 3-hour drive with her in the same vehicle without having to stab himself. Everyone rolls their eyes.

It's almost six when they leave thanks to all the arguing. Stiles is driving the Jeep with Kira by his side, Mason and Lydia in the backseat. Scott is taking Brett and Grace and Derek is with Braeden and Liam. Their delay is rewarded with traffic and they end up stopping at a diner mid-trip to grab something to eat. Other than that, the trip actually goes well, excitement taking over all of them. When they finally arrive, it's already past eleven.

As soon as they get out of the cars, they can already see the place looks beautiful, even though the moon is set high in the night sky. Trees are all around and are so tall that the group can only see shades of the moon and the stars in between the branches. The only visible light comes from the moon, now on its waning crescent, and only if they look straight up can they see the stars, a more star-filled sky than in the city. It should be stunning in just a few nights. Even though the night is hot, they can feel a slight breeze brushing their skin and the fresh air is invigorating.

They parked the cars right next to a big 3-floors house, which should be the main building. There are six cabins spread around the land, at least that they can see, 50 to a 100 yards apart in between all of them.

Everyone gets their bags out of the cars and starts gathering near the main building. "Didn't you say your mom used the property to get your family together?" Liam is the one asking Derek. In the car, Derek shared that his family sometimes travelled there when he was little. Derek nods. "If it was for family, why are the cabins so distant, so far away from each other?"

"Well, we had a big family. And wolves tend to get loud, you know. You wouldn't want children listening to…"

"Oh, you mean…"

"Yes, Liam." The boy blushes, but it's not too noticeable in the dim light. "And it really gives each family some privacy. But you'll see in the morning. The property is really big, and there are even more cabins spread around. My mother made sure we could spend time together but at the same time enjoy some quality time alone. We had a really big family…" Derek smiles. "But you will not be having _that_ kind of enjoyment." Liam chuckles nervously and looks down at his feet.

Derek continues. "Okay, room arrangements. You, Brett, Mason and Grace will stay here," Derek points to the main building and starts moving in its direction to open the door. "It was a warehouse, but my mom redecorated. It has eight bedrooms, two of them transformed into a study and a library; you should have fun with it," he says turning to Lydia and smiling. They head in and he turns on the lights. It's huge. It doesn't seem to make much Derek's style; it's modern and well furnished. "The kitchen is over there and this whole floor was turned into the living room. There's a bathroom in every floor and the bedrooms are upstairs." He hands each of them a key. "Please make yourselves comfortable. Anything you need, I'll be in the first cabin, just please text first," he says with a grin. "We'll see you guys tomorrow morning. And I'll be watching you, so keep out of trouble."

He turns to the others and starts walking back to the door, motioning for them to follow, but Lydia signals Kira and Braeden to wait. She whispers. "Should we let her stay with them?"

"Who, Grace?" Kira asks. Lydia nods.

"She and Liam have been getting closer lately. I don't know if it's a good idea. She's very innocent, you know?"

Braeden smiles. "Oh, she'll be fine. Not only Mason is like a voice of reason, thank god, but also Brett is like her brother. Liam wouldn't dare." They laugh and join the boys outside.

Derek is speaking. "These are yours." He hands two keys to Scott and another two to Stiles. He turns to Scott first. "You can take the second cabin, that one," he points in its direction, a little to the right about 50 yards away, "and you will take that one," he says turning to Stiles and pointing to their left, a little down the hill. "It's a little farther from here than the other cabins, but it's the one closest to the lake."

The girls take a step forward trying to see the water. The cabin is about 100 yards away from where they stand and behind the trees they can only see a few moonlight reflections in where they assume the lake is. It looks big.

"I don't get it. Why do we have two keys?"

Derek rolls his eyes at Stiles. He knows what he meant, but pretends he didn't. "One for each of you, of course."

"No, why do I get two keys and Scott another two? I'm staying with him."

"No, you're not." Scott already has his puppy eyes on. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, but I'm staying with Kira."

Stiles blushes, knowing it means he has to stay with Lydia. "No you're not, dude. Come on."

Lydia is blushing too. "Stiles is right. I thought I was staying with you, Kira," she says, her foot stomping on the ground.

"We hm… We were kind of hoping you'd understand…" Kira pauses, unsure of what to say. Of course she wants to stay with Scott, and one of the reasons they came is so everyone could actually have fun and remember they are actually teenagers turning into young adults, but the main reason they came was for Stiles and Lydia. But they don't need to know that.

Scott continues. "Yeah man. Come on."

"Scott, don't do this, please." Whatever the tether has been doing to both of them, it's powerful. He can barely resist the need to touch her every time he sees her, and it always feels urgent and intense, maybe a little too impulsive for his taste. It's the same for her. It's like they can't trust themselves and it scares them.

"We've been waiting to be alone for weeks now. We haven't had that much time to ourselves, Stiles, you know that. I'm staying with Kira."

"Maybe I should just stay in the warehouse with the others then." Lydia makes the suggestion but doesn't really want to go through with it.

Stiles is on the same page. There's no way Lydia is staying with three teenage boys. Sure, two of them are gay, but that's beside the point. "No, you're not. You're staying in the cabin. If anyone's not staying, it's me."

"As funny as this sounds, it's late and we're tired, so we'll see you guys tomorrow." Scott leaves with Kira quickly before the Stiles and Lydia can say anything else about it and make them remorsefully change their minds.

Stiles turns to Derek. "Can't I just take another cabin?"

"Sorry, I only got these three ready." Not entirely true. "And neither you nor Lydia can take another room at the warehouse, I only have keys to four of the rooms." Another lie from Derek, but he hopes it'll be worth it. "Listen, the cabins are not too big, but surely they're big enough for both of you." He places one hand on Stiles' shoulder and the other on Lydia's. "I'm sure you can handle it. Let's just get through the night, it's late." Derek leaves with Braeden, both giving the duo reassuring smiles.

They stay quiet for a while, not sure if they should move. Except for pack meetings, they haven't been alone in a few weeks now and they can already feel the nervousness crawling under their skin.

Stiles breaks the silence, risking a glance at her. "I can talk to Mason. I'm sure he wouldn't mind staying with Liam and lend me the room for the night..."

Her voice is lower, almost a murmur. "Stiles, you can stay. We can handle it." She's not sure that's true, but she knows he's struggling just as much as she is. It'll probably be easier if they're under the same roof.

"Lydia, I don't know…"

She takes one of the keys from his hand. "Come on." Trying to ignore the warmth of his touch, she grabs her bags and starts walking the trail down to their cabin. He holds on for a minute before following her, increasing his pace as he goes to catch up with her. Without a word, he reaches for her hand and takes one of her bags. She lets him, smiling shyly. They walk in silence.

Taking a closer look, the cabin resembles more like a small cottage. When they get inside, there's a living room with a couch and an armchair. There's some bookshelves spread around, a small coffee table in the middle of the room and a small flat screen TV above a fireplace built in one of the walls. Lydia can't help but wonder what it would be like in the winter. The kitchen is next, an archway connecting both rooms. The cupboards fill an entire wall and there are a few appliances in sight. In the middle there's a table and four chairs. In the corner, a spiral staircase leads to a spacious bedroom with a sloped ceiling in what was supposed to be an attic, actually big considering it takes up most of the area of the floor below, and a bathroom in one of the corners with a full mirror and a bathtub that have Lydia impressed. Right next to the bathroom there's a considerable closet, bigger than Lydia expected, and the bed looks almost king size. Aside from that, the only other furniture in the bedroom are a desk and a chair near one of the windows and two bedside tables in each side of the bed. Overall, everything is simple, but elegant. The cabin is not that small but is still cozy, well decorated with a rustic vibe that somehow suits them, making them feel comfortable.

They take the bags upstairs and Lydia starts rummaging through her things immediately, looking for a top and some shorts to sleep in, but Stiles grabs one of the pillows from the bed and starts heading towards the stairs. Lydia notices and steps in front of him quickly while putting a hand on his chest to make him stop, looking him in the eyes.

He looks down at his chest and then at her, making her feel flustered. She takes her hand back. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going downstairs. You're taking the bed."

"Stiles, you are not sleeping on the couch."

"Well I'm not sleeping on the bed." He walks past her and is almost reaching the stairs when she speaks again.

"Why not?"

He stops, but doesn't turn around when he answers, sighing. "Lydia, it's late and we're both tired. We'll talk in the morning, okay?" He sounds weak even to his ears and his chest starts to ache like it always does when they argue. It's involuntary and he still hasn't learned how to stop it.

She doesn't waste time, repeating the question immediately, her breath uneven. "Why not, Stiles?"

He looks at her with tearing eyes. "Why do you think?" He places the pillow on the chair and starts walking in her direction only stopping when he's right in front of her. "You know why," he whispers. And the pull is already there, almost a tangible, invisible force.

Her eyes are watering too. She can feel his breath on her skin and her hands find his cheeks, stroking them gently. He leans into her touch. "You're not the only one hurting." Her words brush his lips softly, her voice doing things inside him he was supposed to be avoiding. She's too close.

He gives in to place a kiss on her forehead. "I don't know if I can do this. I'm sorry." Then, taking a step back, he turns around, grabbing the pillow and walking down the stairs.

She doesn't move right away. Instead, she focuses on her breathing and closes her eyes. She doesn't know how they got here because now things are worse than they were before. They are not any closer to figure anything out. She might even admit they are more distant from it. And their moods are a challenge every damn day. They can easily be almost kissing and right after ready to tear the other apart and she doesn't know how to deal with it. And most of the time they don't know if it's just them or the tether, something else they haven't figured out how it works yet. And the others… She can't believe how they put up with them. It makes her sick to her stomach knowing this is not only affecting them, but everyone else. It's just too much to take in.

She lets out a breath and gets her clothes. In the bathroom, she changes and washes her face. It's a warm night and it was a long day and she's not feeling so well, so she opens one of the bathroom windows and just stays there for a few minutes, standing, breathing the fresh air, clearing her head. When she walks out, however, the feeling simmers down when she sees Stiles on the bed, lying on his side. He's obviously not sleeping, he didn't have time for it, but his eyes are closed, so she heads to her side without saying a word.

He's upset that he chose to come upstairs again. He doesn't know what to make of his actions anymore. He'd be restless if he slept on the couch but being beside her is probably not his smartest idea either. She climbs into the bed and doesn't say anything, so he keeps quiet. After a few minutes, when he thinks she's asleep, he murmurs "I'm sorry" and she mutters back "I'm sorry too." Neither of them moves, staying in each one's side of the bed, facing opposite sides and back to back, dozing soon after.

xxxxxxxxxx

They wake up three times during the night. Lydia wakes up first about an hour later to go to the bathroom. Her head is on top of his chest and his arm is around her, resting on her waist. She gets up slowly to not wake him up. When she comes back, he hasn't moved so she returns to her place in his arms. He was awake.

About an hour and a half later it's Stiles who's thirsty, waking up to being spooning with Lydia. Her back fits perfectly into his chest and their hands are placed on her stomach, fingers entwined. He gets up carefully and goes downstairs. As it happened before, when he gets to the bedroom she hasn't moved so he lies down behind her, spooning again, taking her hand in his. She was awake too.

Around five, Stiles wakes up and Lydia is not there. Getting up he starts looking for her, but she's not inside. Noticing one of the lights outside is turned on, he peeks out the window to find her sitting on the edge of the dock by the lake not too far away. He looks around to find a blanket and then walks out of the cabin.

She's been sitting there for almost twenty minutes, just staring up at the sky. It's still dark and the stars are looking back at her and she feels peaceful like she hasn't in a while. It's a little cold but she doesn't move; she could stay there for hours.

It bothers her that she knows he's there even before she can see him. A blanket falls down on her shoulders and he sits beside her, silent. Staring at the sky too, he lets himself fall back on his elbows and together they study the map the sky presents them. He asks her about one or other constellations and she answers, telling him what she knows and gesturing in its direction. They don't know why sometimes it's easier and other times is harder being around each other, but when it's easier they take it, no second thoughts. They stay there until just before sunrise, when he gets up and stretches his arm to her, his hand waiting for hers.

"Come on, let's go back to bed."

She nods and he helps her get up. They walk back side by side. Maybe today won't be so bad.

**Author's note: From now on it will be all about their vacation and there might be a few surprises. As always, please review or leave me a message. I really wanna know what you guys think so far. Ideas are welcome too. Also, please check "Know better", my other Stydia fic, if you haven't already. I love all of you! I'm you-make-me-wander on tumblr**


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary: I want to thank you guys for all the feedback. I love to read every single one of your messages. Here's chapter 10, taking place the following day. There's a little more teasing, I'm building up to it. Enjoy! Happy reading :)**

**Chapter 10**

It's almost ten when Lydia wakes up. Checking her phone, she finds a text from Kira saying the group will be at the warehouse waiting for them when they're ready. Lydia gently wakes up Stiles and they have breakfast together downstairs. After changing, they head to the warehouse to meet the others. On the way there, they don't talk much preferring to play safe. Maybe if they don't talk much, things won't get too weird.

When they get there, everyone is chatting cheerfully. No one addresses the way the tension between the pair seems different. It's not necessarily better nor worse, just different.

"I'm glad to see you both made it through the night alive," says Derek smiling. "We were wondering if we had to send someone to check in on you."

"Very funny." Stiles lets out a nervous chuckle while he scratches his neck and looks at Lydia, who's slightly blushing. He hides a smile. "So what are our plans for today?"

They settle on getting to know their surroundings until lunch and then spend the afternoon together. Before that, however, they agree on which chores everyone will have to do like preparing meals, do the dishes or cleaning. No one complains. The idea of finally having some fun away from parental supervision is so exciting to all of them that they'll do anything if it might mean they can come back in the future. They have to be responsible after all.

When they step outside, the sun is already high in the sky and it's hot. The breeze from last night seems to have ceased and the place looks stunning; there's so much color around them. Aside from all the trees, there are bushes and flowers they weren't able to see last night and they hadn't really noticed how beautiful the cabins are. They all group behind Derek and follow him as he leads them through the woods. The property is much bigger than they expected. Farther away they see a few more cabins spread around and there are a few small clearings; some just have grass or rocks, others are completely filled with flowers. But the lake is definitely what has everyone giggling. It's wide and has two docks, one near Stiles and Lydia's cabin and other farther to the right. The water is incredibly clear and reflects the sun in a way they can't seem to resist, so Derek suggests they all come back later in the afternoon, when he knows the water will be warmer.

Back at the warehouse, Scott, Stiles and Liam start preparing lunch while the girls set the table and help out. Derek disappears for a few minutes with Brett and Mason, saying he'll come back with a surprise. Near the table, the girls are whispering.

"So, how was last night?"

"Funny, I wanted to ask you the same thing." Lydia answers back to Grace.

"What do you mean?" The younger girl blushes, looking very focused on setting the cutlery right.

Kira answers, whispering even lower. They had learned to almost hum when they are around the werewolves. "We noticed the way you and Liam have been looking at each other."

"And don't deny it, sweetheart," says Lydia, smiling. "Nothing to be ashamed of."

She frowns. "Last night was fine. Why wouldn't it? Nothing happened…"

"Well, do you want something to happen?" The girls have been encouraging Grace to open up for days now. "We don't judge."

"We just want to help," Lydia says, nodding reassuringly.

"I don't know. I mean, it's _Liam_…" She says his name like she's about to melt. "He's the popular kid. Why would he be interested in me?"

"Sweetie, why wouldn't he?" Braeden steps up. "You are gorgeous and incredibly smart. He's probably the one asking why you'd be interested in him, you know."

"He gets really nervous around you. It's so cute." It was true. When he was too close to Grace or trying to get her attention or if the girl was actually speaking to him, he could sometimes be worse than Stiles when he's all clumsy. The girls chuckle, bringing the boys' attention to them even though they are across the room.

Peeking through the kitchen door, Stiles' voice startles them. "What are you laughing about over there?" Scott and Liam join him at the door.

The girls shut up immediately, trying to hide their laughter and turning to face them. Kira smiles when she talks. "Oh, you know, just talking about boys."

There are a few faces turning red at the comment. Scott laughs. "Them maybe we should join you."

"Oh no, no, sweetheart," says Lydia, playful. "What would be the fun in that?"

"Fun? Torture, you mean…" Stiles mumbles, looking a little smug.

"Same thing," she says, pursing her lips and looking right at him.

Stiles doesn't break the gaze as he walks backwards to the kitchen with the boys, a smile menacing to escape his lips.

"So…" Kira elbows Lydia. "What was that about?" Lydia just shrugs her shoulders, hiding her face behind her hair as they continue to set the table.

"You know, Derek wasn't lying," says Braeden. "We were actually concerned. You two have been a little tense lately…"

"Hmm… I know. Sorry about that. We don't mean to, it just happens…"

Braeden, Kira and Grace exchange a look. Kira takes a chance. "Maybe you guys are overthinking it."

"I'm not even sure what we're doing anymore. It's like we have no control over what we do, at all. You saw how bad it was yesterday. And today we're being pretty civil, so far."

"I wouldn't call it _civil_. Kinda flirty, I'd say." Grace starts laughing but Lydia raises an eyebrow so she stops abruptly, embarrassed. "I meant you two look at each other like you're about to rip the other apart. And I don't mean it in a bad way, you know…" She lets out a chuckle.

"She's right, Lydia." Braeden looks amused. "Maybe you two should just let go," she says smiling.

"Let go?"

"Yes, Lydia, let go. You two are tense, _too_ tense. Maybe a little relaxing couldn't hurt…" She grins.

Lydia slaps her arm slightly, but Braeden's words won't get out of her head for the rest of the day. She doesn't notice Grace looking at the kitchen's door where Liam appeared and is nodding at her and smiling. The boys had been passing along a similar advice to a very disconcerted Stiles.

xxxxxxxxxx

After lunch, everyone helps cleaning the kitchen and then settle for a movie in the common room. Brett and Mason couldn't stop muttering "_Thank you_" and "_Can I tell you I love you?_"; they had been at it for over an hour. It had been one of the arguments from the morning before. The boys had been whining that they wanted to bring with them videogames and their PlayStation, but Derek kept telling them they were supposed to spend time together as a group. When this morning he asked for their help, they complained first but then they were all smiles and overly excited, that's for sure.

That Lydia could see, there were a PlayStation, an Xbox and a Wii, plus a box full of videogames, a big box. Derek figured they all could benefit from a little friendly competition, so he didn't want to spoil the surprise by letting those little idiots bring their own consoles. Still, games were for later. Now it was movie time. Or so he thought.

Everyone was already sitting on the couches and on the floor getting comfortable, but Mason and Brett and Liam wouldn't shut up about it, so Derek eventually gave in.

"Oh my god, just take it upstairs and go. You're being even more annoying than Stiles, geez."

Stiles, sitting next to Scott and Kira on the couch with Lydia and Grace close by sitting on the ground, can't help but retort. "God, don't be such a sour wolf."

Scott is the first to start laughing but everyone joins soon enough when a cushion comes flying through the room and hits Stiles right in the head.

"Hey, that's my face," he says throwing it back, obviously missing its target.

"Oh honey, your face is fine," Lydia says tapping on Stiles' knee gently, smiling. The room stops to look at them and burst out laughing again when they both blush hard. She doesn't even remember thinking the words, let alone speak them.

When the laughter calms down and the boys are already playing upstairs, the rest of them enjoy the movie. Her hand never leaves his leg.

xxxxxxxxxx

Around five everyone is almost running when leaving the warehouse to change. It's lake time. They arrange to meet by Lydia and Stiles' cabin in twenty minutes. The boys, of course, only need five, so they are the ones waiting for the girls near the dock.

As for the girls, Lydia insists that Grace go change with her at the cabin. She's been thinking about Braeden's words all afternoon. Maybe she's right. So if she's gonna put herself out there for Stiles, might as well have a little fun with it. And Grace needs to loosen up too, so it's a win-win.

"You are not wearing that, Grace."

"Why?" The girl looks down at her strapless black swimsuit. "I like it."

"It's cute, but it's comfortable. You just told me you want him, right?" The girl blushes. Lydia had finally heard Grace say that she wants to give it a try with Liam, so she's giving her a little push. "So you need to get out of your comfort zone, okay?" She nods. Lydia throws her a white bikini. "Here. I'll go black and you'll go white. We're gonna knock them down," she says laughing while Grace checks it out. "The top doesn't show too much and the fold bikini brief is great to make a statement without covering too much. I think it'll look great on you. Go on, try it."

When Grace comes out of the bathroom, both girls are open-mouthed looking at the other. The bikini does suit Grace, Lydia never doubted it, but she always hid a little in her clothes, so Liam is probably gonna die in a few minutes.

As for Grace, she's not sure how to put her thoughts into words exactly. "You're wearing that?"

Lydia chuckles. "Yes, I am." It's a classic triangle bikini, all black, tying on the neck and on her back, and it might be a little (more like a lot) revealing, not that she really cares. She's going for it. "How do I look?" She cracks a smile.

"Sexy. Holy shit. I'm kind of rethinking my option now…"

"Oh sweetie," she grabs her shoulders and pushes Grace so that she's standing in front of the mirror. "We both look hot. Now just let your hair down and put this on," she throws her an oversized –shirt and gets one for herself, "and follow my lead."

When they get to the lake, everyone is already there.

The girls stay behind as the boys take their shirts off and that's when it hits her. Lydia has never seen Stiles shirtless before. Sure, his shirts still hinted at his, she assumed from all the years of practicing lacrosse, slightly defined torso, and she had found a new hobby checking out his arms and his hands, which she did anytime she could, but she had never really seen him shirtless. So she takes her time as he pulls his t-shirt up, the muscles on his back and shoulders making her gasp while he moves, biting her lip when he turns around and she can see the defined outline of his abdomen, now that he's only wearing his blue, plaid (of course) shorts that fit him perfectly. She always liked blue on him. And now he's stretching up, the little bastard. He doesn't seem to notice her staring though, because right after he's running for the water with the others, laughing happily like they don't have a care in the world.

The girls, though, put on a little show. They walk slowly until they reach the dock and then stand there chatting until they know the boys are watching. When it happens, they keep talking to each other and, like they're in sync, they slowly take off their shirts and keep walking, hips a little more bouncy than usually. Then they just run for the water, laughing, and jump. The water is warm, just like Derek said it would be, and the sun reflects in the water making it look like gold. It's breathtaking.

Everyone plays some game the boys came up with and they enjoy it, their disguised freedom, because they are doing the best they can. And it feels good to finally be able to live a little without feeling guilty or scared or stressed out of their minds. It's fun, lighthearted; it's what they were supposed to be doing with their lives, after all.

After a while, Lydia excuses herself and Stiles saying she needs something. No one comments, choosing instead to start spreading around the lake playing whatever it was they'd agreed on now.

"Stiles, a little help, please?"

He was already looking at her, his cheeks flushed. No matter how hard he tried, she always looked like a goddess to him, perfect, flawless; she took his breath away every time. He quickly swims to her side, a smirk on his face. She's smiling too when she turns her back to him and the others.

"It untied. Could you…?" She says, looking over her shoulder and gazing to her bare back. She did it purposefully. She had pulled the cords in a calculated move. She's not even holding the strings, giving him loose rein to touch her freely because that's what she's been craving the most, his touch. And she knows he'll read her like a book like he always does. He knows her too well.

He gets closer, letting his chest touch her back, reveling in the sight of a wet and barely clothed Lydia Martin so close to him. The same way he did so many weeks before, he moves her hair away and his fingers trail the soft skin of her shoulders and up her neck, then down her arms.

"Untied, uh?"

She tries not to moan because _fuck_ his hands brush her breasts underwater as he catches the strings of her bikini top and easily tie them back again and it wasn't a _sorry-my-hand-accidentally-brushed-your-breasts_ touch. It was an _I-totally-meant-to-do-that_ touch. Not that it was uncalled for, but she didn't know it would feel so good. She inhales deeply before answering, trying and failing to hide a grin. "Guess I didn't tie it properly…"

He laughs, his mouth really close to her ear, kissing her neck just below. "Is that what you're going for? _'My bad, I didn't do it on purpose.' _Really?"

He is a little surprised when she turns around quickly and their faces end up just inches apart. She slams her fist on his chest tentatively. She needs to touch him. "No, Stiles." She bites her lower lip as her hand slowly goes down to his abdomen, her touch curious as she maps out his muscles. Her cheeks are burning but she doesn't seem to mind. He brings his hands to her waist, pulling her a little closer. She looks up at his eyes, _god she missed them_, and her hands trail up to the back of his neck, pulling him down. Their foreheads touch. "I miss you."

He lets out a breath. "I know. I'm not sure what we're supposed to do."

She sighs. "I know." One of her hands moves from his neck to his cheek, her thumb touching his lips lightly. "I want to kiss you," she whispers.

He smiles. "You know they could be hearing us, right?" He looks back at where the group is and she peeks above his shoulder too. They seem to be minding their own business and they are probably far away enough to not be prying.

"If I'm being honest, I don't really care." She blushes. He'll never get tired of seeing her blushing. "I want you, Stiles."

He doesn't waste time, his lips eagerly descending to hers, finding solace on their taste. She returns the kiss just as desperately, her lips parting for him easily, tongues meeting at last, teasing, experiencing. Their hands seem to be moving on their own accord, her fingers running through his hair trying to pull him down impossibly closer, his wandering the skin of her waist and up to her chest. The kiss soon becomes frantic, urgent. They part breathless, their lips brushing and their chests erratically moving up and down.

He places a small, tender kiss on her lips, and then moves to press an open mouthed kiss on her neck, his fingers teasing dangerously along the waistline of her briefs. "I missed you too." He can't stop smiling.

The sun, now lower in the sky, makes her hair shine in unholy ways, her eyes looking like fire. "God, you're beautiful," he says, kissing her again, his hands playing around her waist.

They are startled by a whistle in the distance. They look over in the sound's direction to see Scott waving at them, far enough that he has to scream for them to hear him. "Guys, someone's coming. Come on."

They start swimming for the waterside immediately, their senses suddenly on high alert. They join the group as soon as they get there.

Stiles turns to Scott. "What is it?"

"I heard a car coming. Derek went to check on it, see who it was."

"What do you think? Any bad feelings?"

"No, not really. There's a familiar scent, but I can't place it…"

"So what? We wait for Derek?"

"I think we should go meet him, just to be safe. Strength in numbers, right?"

Stiles nods. Everyone starts to make their way up the hill, Stiles taking Lydia by the hand. As they walk, Scott keeps focusing on his sense of smell. It's not just one scent, he notices. Taking a deep breath, he tries to place them. And he does.

"_Oh my god_."

They stop abruptly. "Scott? Scott, what it is?"

"_No way_! Stiles, it's…"

**Author's note: So, guesses? Please take a minute to review or leave me a message. I'd really like to know what you guys think so far. Ideas are welcome too. Also, please check "Know better", my other Stydia fic, if you haven't already. I'm having a blast with that one. I love all of you! I'm you-make-me-wander on tumblr**


	11. Chapter 11

**I'm sorry for the late update, work has been hard on me lately :/ As I've said on tumblr****_, _****my job is incredibly demanding emotionally, so most days I get home and either I can't find the inspiration to write or I'm too tired to put words into paper.**

**This was supposed to be a longer chapter but if I had done that, it would end in yet another cliffhanger. As it is, the chapter ends on a much better note :) Be warned - t****here's a little smut; it is rated M after all (tag added). It's not much but it's what will put things in motion. Also, it's my first time writing smut so I really want to know what you guys think. Thank you for all the feedback. Enjoy and happy reading :) **

**Chapter 11**

Everyone is sitting on the living room's floor finishing dinner. Scott is so excited that Isaac is back that he hasn't left his side since the beta arrived. Same goes for Derek, who hasn't left Cora.

Since they got there, Derek showed them around and led them to a cabin for themselves while the others went back to the lake to get their clothes back. In the following hours everyone was introduced, stories were shared and all the catching up done. It's already late when everyone cleans up the kitchen and settles in again for another movie, all of them in pairs sitting or lying on the floor with the lights dimmed down.

It's not like Cora knew them well so she figures it's not her place to say something. Isaac, however, has been biting his tongue since he saw Stiles and Lydia holding hands when the group joined him, Cora and Derek a few hours ago. And it was weird, because to Isaac everyone else seemed conscious of what was happening but no one was saying anything; actually, they were more like avoiding noticing it. Stiles and Lydia certainly didn't seem aware of the attention they were drawing to them and continued holding hands and standing close to one another the entire night, so Isaac figured they were finally together but maybe it was recent; that should justify everyone's looks, they probably just hadn't adjusted yet. But halfway through the movie there's definitely something Isaac is not catching and it's bugging him.

Lydia sat on the floor beside Stiles with their backs against one of the couches and their legs stretched out in front of them, barely touching, hands clasped on top of their bellies. When she thought no one was paying attention to them, Lydia grabbed one of Stiles' hands and moved it away so she could lean on his chest and his arm moved automatically to wrap around her waist. Not that anyone would notice their rosy cheeks in the darkened room but Stiles and Lydia are both blushing when they stare at each other, the movie completely forgotten; everyone else notices, however, when they kiss.

It starts slow. Lydia's fingers fiddle with Stiles' and she brings his hand up so that she can kiss his palm and his knuckles while Stiles kisses her forehead, her temple, her cheek. Lydia giggles quietly; it's not like some of the others aren't making out and cuddling too, anyways, so she turns to Stiles and looks into his eyes like he means the world to her, which is true. She moves unhurriedly, holding back a bit until she's sure he's okay with it. Disentangling their fingers, her hand moves to caress his cheek. When he smiles back at her, something inside her wriggles and it's such an unfamiliar feeling to her she just wants to drown in it. When she looks at him like that, like she's melting, Stiles just wants to kiss her, so he does. Lydia meets him halfway and they kiss softly, their lips moving in sync. For a moment, they forget they are surrounded and it's just the two of them in their own world; nothing else matters. Then, Isaac speaks, confused.

"Am I missing something here?"

Well, he was. Everyone in the room was aware that Stiles and Lydia were kissing and, like they have been doing lately, just chose to not say something about it; still, everyone couldn't help but to look at them. Only Isaac didn't see in time the signals Scott and Derek were making at him and he blurted the question out. It's not like it's really his fault; he assumed Stiles and Lydia were together but then seeing them kissing and everyone seeming a little uneasy at what was happening and all the scents, the sexual tension mixed with the others' restlessness, were too overwhelming for the werewolf. Had he known what was happening, he'd kept his mouth shut.

Stiles and Lydia break the kiss idly like they are not really mindful of the situation, but blushing inevitably when they turn to face the others. No one says anything. What could they say, really?

Scott tries to shut down the beta. "Isaac…"

He doesn't listen. "I thought you two were together," he says bluntly, gesturing towards Stiles and Lydia, and then turning to the others. "I don't understand. You guys keep giving them with these weird looks, I don't get it…"

Stiles is at a loss of words and just looks at Lydia apologetically. She stares back at the others and mumbles. "We hm… We're…"

"It's complicated," says Scott.

"I'm not following. You were kissing…" He turns to Stiles and Lydia again. They nod almost imperceptibly. "Why is it such a big deal? I thought we've been waiting for this since forever. Why is everyone uncomfortable?"

"It's not like that, Isaac," Scott tries to explain. "It's just…"

"We're not together," says Stiles.

"What do you mean, you're not together? Your scents are all over each other."

"We're not there yet, I guess…" Lydia lets out, whispering, knowing Isaac will be able to hear her.

"Why?" Cora has to elbow Isaac to dissuade him from saying anything else and the group falls silent after that. What are they even supposed to say?

Everyone looks away. Stiles and Lydia look as sad and uncomfortable as they can be.

xxxxxxxxxx

After about a thousand apologies from Isaac for butting in, Stiles and Lydia decide to go home before the others, not waiting for the movie to end. They walk back to their cabin hand in hand, not really talking again. Both tried to start a conversation on their way down the hill but words just wouldn't really come out. When they're in their room, Stiles grabs Lydia's hand so that she'll turn around to face him.

"Can we not over think this?" Stiles asks, scratching the back of his neck. "We were in such a good mood; I really don't wanna make a big deal out of what Isaac said…"

Lydia bites her lip nervously, but nods. "We'll figure it out, right? In time…"

"Yeah," he says, kissing her forehead and cupping her cheeks. "We always do. We just need not to push it and let it flow, I guess."

When she looks up at him, there's a mischievous smile on her lips. Just because they can't bring themselves to talk about it, doesn't mean they can't have their fun. "Does that mean we can we finish what we started at the lake, then?"

Stiles seems to agree because he walks towards the bed taking her with him. He sits on the edge and smirks. "Eager much?"

Lydia blushes and laughs. "Shut up." Seeing he's got a smug look on his face, she adds, playful, "And don't you dare say…"

"What? Make me?"

She's smiling when she kisses him, throwing herself at him and getting as close as she can. They move on the bed until he's sitting with his back against the headboard, Lydia sitting on top of him, straddling him.

"You know, the girls were telling me earlier it might not be such a bad idea to hm… relieve some tension."

"I'm gonna kill them. Scott and Liam told me the same thing. They could be a little more discreet at setting us up, you know…" he says, half serious and half amused. He starts planting light kisses down her neck.

"Well, they're not wrong…" she whispers in his ear.

When he looks up at her, he's smirking and his cheeks are rosy. He looks beautiful. "I'm up for it if you are," he tells her.

She smiles bright and steals a kiss, encouraging him to make the first move. He doesn't waste much time. His left hand slips underneath her shirt and rests at her waist, his thumb caressing her skin and moving in small circles; his right hand trails up her left leg until it reaches her inner thigh and Lydia nods in approval. Her right hand moves to his shoulder so that she can tug on his hair and trail her fingers on his neck while her left hand moves slowly on its way down to his shorts.

They don't hesitate. While she unties its lace, Stiles lets his fingers brush gently through her briefs, moving them up and down slowly, creating friction, waiting for Lydia to finally put her hands on him. When she does, he kisses her while squeezing her clit. They moan into their kiss, both smiling.

It goes on for a while. Lydia moves her hand up and down his length, squeezing at the top, releasing the pressure slightly as she goes down; Stiles works her up through her briefs paying special attention to her clit, kissing and marking her skin wherever he can get to. They match their movements in speed and both their breathings soon become labored. They know it'll be quick; it's been a while since they both had someone, there's most certainly lots of tension between them and it feels so, so good, they start moving faster. The problem is Lydia is growing edgy over Stiles' lack of skin-to-skin contact; her briefs are still in place. Why isn't he touching her? _Really_ touching her?

She knows he's not inexperienced, which is something she'd rather forget, but maybe he doesn't have that much experience? Because his other hand remains religiously at her waist and it's driving her insane so she incites him. She nibbles at his ear and curses when he rubs her a little harder, grasps his hair while biting his neck, kisses him until they're breathless and still she gets nothing more.

It feels like he wants this to be just physical, sort of like a no-strings-attached kind of thing, but she knows it will never be like that with them; it could never be. She can't help but think maybe he's doing it because it is what he thinks she wants. And it's something she dreads, intimacy with him, real intimacy as in if they were together. It has her scared out of her mind because she knows that when the time comes it'll be like something she has never experienced before and she's not sure how to deal with it.

But this is not the case; they are not together and it's a much needed stress reliever, that's for sure. And still she's putting herself out there so why isn't he? She may understand why he's holding back, being cautious, but he shouldn't have to be, not anymore. This is them, they trust each other. He should know better by now.

"Stiles, I love you, but if you don't get your hands on me right now and make me come soon, I swear I'll kill you," she says smiling, letting go of him. She had never bossed him around before, not like this, even though she's usually the one taking the lead, whether in bed or in any other situation, but it's different with Stiles, of course, so she giggles, entertained. She doesn't realize what she said until he stops moving, stilling completely. Lydia looks at him embarrassed and blushes.

It's not like she doesn't mean it because she does. She has known she's in love with him for months now, but she surely didn't expect it to roll out of her tongue like that, so effortlessly and in such an inconvenient way. She sees the doubt in his eyes, knows his mind is running frantic; one, two, three, four, five seconds pass as they hold their breaths. She opens her mouth to speak, to reassure him and erase all his fears but he doesn't let her, instead choosing to push her briefs to the side and easily sliding a finger inside of her, eyes locked with hers.

Lydia forgets what she was about to say. Unable to form any coherent thoughts, she digs her nails on his skin and scratches his neck as her way of scolding him. That's not how she wanted this to go but she can't really speak because his lips find hers and his finger slipping in and out of her slowly, his knuckles brushing against her skin making her shiver. She shakes her head, tries to break the kiss but he bites her lower lip, adding another finger to the first and she moans loudly, getting a grin from him. When his thumb finds her clit and starts moving in circles lazily, she knows she won't last long, not at all, by the way she's turned on by his sudden confidence. She grabs his, now more apparent, erection again, making Stiles gasp, and now she's the one grinning.

It is quick. Their rhythm escalates rapidly and when he curls his fingers just right, she's gone. Still, Lydia works on him until he follows her not long after. Lydia collapses on top of him, panting, any strength she might had left completely gone now, her head falling to the crook of his neck and Stiles holds her like he was born to do just that, hold her close, his arms wrapping around her waist.

It takes them a few moments to remember how to breathe again. When she gets herself together and recomposes, sitting on his lap straighter and finally looking at him, she almost feels the need to cry. The way his blazing eyes look at her soul make her wish she'd never move again, so she opens her mouth to tell him just that; that, and that she loves him because she knows he didn't believe her when she said it before, not really, probably thinking she said it out of lust. Stiles doesn't let her speak, though, bringing his lips to hers again, kissing her ever so softly.

"Stiles…" She knows what he's doing, avoiding it. He kisses her again, deeper this time, and her heart falters almost soundly, she thinks. Stiles has her on the palm of his hand and he doesn't even know. She breaks the kiss and places her hands on his chest, distancing herself from him enough for him to pay attention to her.

"Please Lydia, don't…" he whispers, looking away from her.

She doesn't let him get away with it, placing her hand under his chin and making him face her. "I know it wasn't the most gracious way to say it, or romantic for that matter," she whispers, "but it's true, okay?" Lydia's face is bright red.

He shakes his head in disagreement, blush covering his cheeks. "Lydia, it slipped. Heat of the moment and all that. And it's okay. I won't hold you to it and I certainly don't expect you to…"

She cups his cheeks and kisses him hard, trying to make her point. Why won't he listen to her?

The kiss is greedy at first but Lydia slows it down with every passing second until she's sure Stiles knows how she's feeling. When they part this time, their lips brush gently for a moment while they breathe each other's air. He gulps and looks at her like he's never seen her before. The way her lips felt on his is such a change in his reality he suddenly feels like she's a stranger to him.

"Y- You meant it?"

He sounds so unsure and broken that Lydia's eyes fill with tears and she struggles to keep them from falling. "I did." She nods, holding his gaze. "Stiles, I do. I love you."

She doesn't do anything, instead giving him time to process it. She understands how unreal it must feel like to him because it's one thing if what they were doing was just physical but adding feelings to the mix, such deep emotions, it's another thing entirely; because she's Lydia and he's Stiles and their connection runs deep. They don't move for a while, both barely breathing. Eventually Stiles reaches for her hands and brings them up until they're in front of his face and he just stares. Lydia doesn't say anything and keeps waiting while he turns her hands around like he's studying them, knowing he's looking for the glitch in the matrix; something else they never talked about, how he often tries to convince himself of reality and that his mind is, in fact, his own. Half a minute later, his voice is hoarse when he speaks. "Say it again."

There are butterflies in her stomach, Lydia's sure. There have to be or she wouldn't be feeling like this, nervous and giggly at the same time. Clasping his hands in hers she brings them to her chest, just over her heart, and holds them there while looking him in the eyes as honestly as she can. "I'm in love with you, Stiles." She pauses briefly, biting her lower lip. "And I'm scared of it too."

He knows her heart faltered; he felt it skip a beat. He also knows, deep inside, it happened because it takes her breath away too; her eyes tell him that, gazing into his soul. Tears reach the surface like they did so many months ago in the locker room and as he did then, Stiles fights them back and looks back at her in awe.

She remembers that look on his face, how could she not? She has dreamt of it a thousand times, thought about it over and over again. She doesn't back away now, not like she did before; she'll regret it if she does. Her moves are deliberately slow when she leans forward to capture his lips with hers in a soft kiss and Stiles kisses her back with the same gentleness.

Somehow their tears found their way down their faces, silently running down their cheeks. They both reach for the other's face for comfort, smiling at their synchrony.

"Now you know," she mumbles, smiling.

Like before, he kisses her forehead, her cheek and her lips again, still a little hesitant. "Would I be much of a dick if I asked you to do something for me?"

She chuckles and shakes her head, wiping another tear. "Of course not. Anything."

"Tell me that again tomorrow?"

Her eyes sparkle as she nods fiercely, lowering herself a bit so that her forehead is touching his, her hands cradling his cheek. "I will, I promise." And at that, she does make a promise to herself. She'll never again let a day go by without telling him she loves him, at the very least until she knows for sure he believes her; then she'll just have to reassure him every day. "I love you," she whispers again.

He kisses her softly. "And I love you."

**Author's note: Go on and hit the comments or leave me a message. I won't take as long to update again. I already have the draft for the next chapter, which will start right after these events; hopefully I'll update in just a few days. Besides, I'm getting an extended weekend so I'll update next "I see you" and "Know better", my other multi-chapter Stydia fics. I posted a few Stydia one-shots too, in case you wanna check them out.**

**Let me thank you for all your reviews, messages, support and patience. You guys are awesome and I love you! ****I'm you-make-me-wander on tumblr**


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